Latest
24
Feb
What I’ve Learned From Every “Difficult” Engineer I’ve Worked With
Most “difficult” engineers aren’t difficult — they’re strengths without structure. Here’s what I’ve learned about the personalities that once frustrated me, and how understanding them made me a better leader.
3 min read
17
Feb
Leading Self-Managed Teams (Without Losing Your Mind)
Self-managed teams can thrive — or quietly drain you. This is a reflection on leading with clarity, letting go without disappearing, and the emotional work no one warns you about.
3 min read
10
Feb
Cloud, Costs, and Culture: Surviving the Tech Tightrope in 2026
The hardest part of managing cloud costs in 2026 isn’t the technology. It’s leading calmly when pressure is high, decisions feel urgent, and fear threatens to drive optimisation at the expense of trust and people.
3 min read
03
Feb
From AI Hype to Real Impact: How Leaders Bridge the Gap
AI isn’t here to replace people — it’s here to amplify what already exists. This essay explores how leaders move beyond AI hype toward real impact, by focusing on execution, ownership, and the human work technology can’t do.
4 min read
20
Jan
From Gouda to Gruyère: What Cheese Can Teach Us About Building Team Culture 🧀
What does cheese have to do with team culture and leadership? More than you’d think. From sharp perspectives to softer voices, strong teams — like great cheese boards — thrive on balance, diversity, and the right mix of flavours.
3 min read
13
Jan
The Hidden Cost of Vague Expectations in Engineering Teams
When expectations aren’t clear, engineers don’t feel empowered — they feel exposed. This essay unpacks the hidden cost of vague expectations in engineering teams, from burnout and imposter syndrome to the quiet erosion of trust.
3 min read
06
Jan
Soft Starts Build Strong Teams (And Why Pressure Backfires)
Soft starts aren’t a lack of ambition — they’re a leadership choice. This piece explores why pressure backfires, and how gentler beginnings, clearer context, and lighter sprint goals create real, sustainable momentum in teams.
2 min read
24
Nov
Slow Mornings, Fast Days: My Ritual for Calm Leadership
For five months I’ve started my mornings with “coffee and games”—a gentle 20-minute ritual that helps me ease into the day, reduce overwhelm, and show up as a calmer, more intentional leader. Slowing down first has made everything else easier.
3 min read
18
Nov
The Leadership Garden: Growing Roses, Pulling Weeds, and Handling Chaos
Leadership is basically gardening. Some days everything blooms, some days you’re knee-deep in weeds, and some days chaos shows up and sits on the soil. This is how I navigate all of it with compassion, humour, and a lot of internal screaming.
3 min read
28
Oct
You Don’t Have to Be the Loudest One in the Room to Lead
I used to think leadership meant being loud. But the more I lead, the more I see the power of quiet confidence and the ripple it creates in a team.
3 min read