
Developer Tea
Developer Tea exists to help driven developers connect to their ultimate purpose and excel at their work so that they can positively impact the people they influence.
With over 17 million downloads to date, Developer Tea is a short podcast hosted by Jonathan Cutrell, engineering leader with over 15 years of industry experience. We hope you'll take the topics from this podcast and continue the conversation, either online or in person with your peers. Email: developertea@gmail.com
Latest episodes

Feb 16, 2024 • 16min
Delegation, Ownership, Responsibility, and Agency
The podcast discusses delegation, ownership, responsibility, and agency in relation to career growth. It explores the connection between ownership and delegation, emphasizing the importance of responsibility and agency. The significance of providing necessary resources in task delegation is highlighted, along with the power dynamics involved. Clear communication and taking full ownership in delegation are also discussed.

Feb 3, 2024 • 13min
Apply Little's Law To What You Can Control
Learn about the benefits of focusing on one task at a time and increasing productivity through limiting work in progress. Discover how to apply the concept of limiting work in progress to job hunting and how managing queues can impact our lives.

Jan 26, 2024 • 12min
Finding Leverage by Escaping Functional Fixedness
Explore the limitations of functional fixedness and categorical thinking in problem-solving, and the importance of thinking outside the box for better solutions. Discover techniques to break out of functional fixedness and find high-leverage opportunities.

Jan 16, 2024 • 10min
Is it Actually Important to Question Assumptions?
In this podcast, they discuss the importance of questioning assumptions and beliefs, using a personal anecdote about misdiagnosing a problem with a turtle tank as an example. They also explore the impact of diversity of thought on thinking and decision-making, highlighting the importance of different perspectives in challenging and improving beliefs and theories.

Jan 5, 2024 • 18min
9 Years - Persistence by Reducing Expectation
The podcast celebrates its 9th anniversary and emphasizes the importance of adjusting expectations. It explores the impact of expectations on actions and perception, and reflects on the core reason for starting the podcast - helping developers find clarity, perspective, and purpose. The chapter also discusses the negative consequences of unrealistic expectations and the importance of managing them.

Dec 15, 2023 • 19min
Good Plans, Bad Plans, and Road Trips
This podcast explores the characteristics of good and bad plans, the challenges of colliding roadmaps, the flexibility of using Mira as a collaborative tool, the power of a plan maker, and the process of generating a plan through values and process.

Dec 9, 2023 • 22min
Negative and Positive Lollapalooza Effects
Learn about the lollapalooza effect, cognitive biases in project planning, leveraging the contrast effect, and exploring the potential of investments. The speaker expresses gratitude to the listeners and asks for feedback.

5 snips
Dec 1, 2023 • 17min
Fresh Eyes - How Anchoring Bias, Bandwagon Effect, Status Quo Bias, and Uniqueness Bias Interact When Joining New Groups
The podcast explores the challenges of joining a new team and the importance of finding your own 'weathervane.' They discuss the anchoring effect, bandwagon effect, uniqueness bias, and status quo bias, and how these biases interact when joining new groups. The chapter also emphasizes the need to recognize biases and opportunities, approach teams with curiosity and observation, and consider alternative approaches for improved code quality.

6 snips
Nov 27, 2023 • 15min
The Dark Side of Optimism Bias
The podcast discusses the dark side of optimism bias, exploring its impact on unfavorable career events, entitlement, and lack of preparation. Practical exercises to combat optimism bias are suggested, along with the use of probability trees for decision-making. The speakers also emphasize the importance of updating probability estimates and avoiding confirmation bias.

Nov 9, 2023 • 12min
Backlog Psychology - Breaking Out of the Habit Trap
The podcast discusses the habit trap in backlog management and emphasizes the need for measurable outcomes. It explores the benefits of adopting a standard process and highlights the importance of focusing on outcomes and using measurements to adapt and evaluate the process over time.