The People Stack Podcast

If you're a tech leader on the job market to get promoted to a new Director of Engineering job (or higher) - this is for you!

You asked for a promotion and your boss said no. What's next? I tell you exactly what to say to your boss and reveal the SIX different kinds of No's I've encountered in coaching tech leaders to build their dream careers.

You're ready to make the leap to Director! Whether you want a promotion to Director of Engineering, Director of Analytics, Director of Product, or some other kind of tech director - I got ya covered! I give you the exact steps to follow (along with common blind spots). Enjoy!

What are the THREE pieces to our "secret sauce" at the People Stack that help our clients build their dream careers? Check out this episiode to find out!

Want to hear my story of becoming a career coach for tech leaders? It's been a long and winding road. Hear all about it in this episode!

We want you to build your dream tech career! But, to do that, you need to define it first. If you don't define it, it's never gonna happen. So, in this episode, I walk you through 7 questions to ask yourself so that you can gain crystal clarity about what YOUR dream is. Then you can get after it! Bring your pen and sticky notes for this one. Check it out right here.

A client asked us this question on a recent group coaching call: “I've started a company with a co-founder while retaining my day job. I've reduced my work output at my day job and I'm coping with feelings of guilt and lack of motivation, but paying the bills is a top family priority. What do you think about this situation? Should I keep coping knowing it's the best approach for now or is there a better way?” This question touches on many important topics like disempowering emotions, motivation, financial abundance vs. scarcity, and coping with reality vs. going after your dreams. Check out this podcast for my response!

Why is confidence so important in building your dream tech career? I tell you in this podcast! Some of the reasons will validate what you already know. Others will surprise you. I'll also give you a peek behind the People Stack business curtain to talk about what's in store for the People Stack tribe in the future. Grab the popcorn and check this one out right now!

How do you responsibly call people out on their bullshit? And how do you call YOURSELF out on your own bullshit? It's so important to learn how to do this b/c w/out it, you're holding yourself back from a life of ease, flow, power, and dream creation. Why? Because, well, not to be too crass but… You can't rise higher when you're surrounded by shit. You can't rise higher in your career - or the rest of your life. So, how do you deal with this mess without gunking things up even more? And, dare I say - how do you come to ENJOY dealing with the B.S.??? I explain how in this podcast! Get ready to get real! Check it out here right now:

Applicant Tracking Systems… …are a PAIN in the rear!!! So - how do you win the ATS game so that you can land interviews and land your Hell Yes tech leadership job? I show you how in this episode. Pay close attention because I offer several pieces of practical advice you'll want to implement today. Check it out here!

Do you often feel mentally and physically drained at the end of each day? Does decision fatigue weigh you down on most days? Do you feel stuck in the go, go, go, do, do, do? If so, you're likely relying on pure willpower to get through. And it's not sustainable! In this podcast, I share what you should rely on instead to create so much MOMENTUM in your tech career (and the rest of your life)... …that you manifest your dreams faster and easier and it feels delightfully FUN! Check this one out right now!

Is work feeling kinda “meh” for you right now? You're simply not connected with the purpose of what you're doing. The joy, spark, and fun are dying. How do you turn that “meh” to “WHEEEE!”? I reveal how in this podcast so you can get unstuck from doing “just okay” at work… …and feel ludicrously fulfilled and joyously connected to how magnificent your job is. Listen right now!

Many of you are unknowingly focusing on the wrong kinds of career results. And this costs you dearly in terms of your time, money, energy, and sanity. In this episode, I talk about why focusing on transformation and not transaction is the key to creating the dream tech career you want… … especially in the current environment of too few jobs and too many applicants. Get ready to let go of the struggle and sacrifice and make room for more joy and prosperity on the journey toward co-creating your dream career. Check it out right now!

I don't want you to waste your time or energy while you're on the job market for a tech leadership job. So, in this episode, I talk about a mistake many of our clients make when they start working with us: They go on interviews that they shouldn't be! I understand it's hard to be on the job market and you want to do SOMETHING to move the process forward, but trust me, going on interviews just because you were invited is a waste of everyone's time, money, and energy. So, how do you decide what interviews to go on? How do you land those interviews in the first place? And, most importantly, how do you take action on the tech job market in a powerfully purposeful way? I cover all of this on this week's podcast! Enjoy!

How do you advance in your tech career without feeling overwhelmed? In this episode, I define what overwhelm is as well as some of the (sneaky) ways it can show up in your life. And, I share 2 practical tools that you can start implementing today so that you can shift from an emotional home of overwhelm… …to an emotional home of quiet stillness, flow, and peace. Enjoy!

Stop fighting, striving, pushing, and enduring my friends!!! It's time to make $hit happen without the forcing struggle. In this episode, I talk about why slowing down is essential to manifesting your career goals. And I give you two practical and tactical tools so you can translate this into real, everyday life. Enjoy the journey of slowing down and relaxing into your dreams - and watch them manifest even more easily and effortlessly. Click here to listen:

What are the most powerful moves one needs to make as a new director (manager of managers) to generate momentum? A client recently asked us this and I answer it on this podcast! I share the 5 most important actions to take if you're new to an organization and want to create a massive, sustainable impact as a leader of leaders. I encourage all of you to listen and apply these battle-tested leadership principles. Enjoy!

It's nucking futs right now in the tech world. Layoffs, job search mayhem, hiring chaos…it's all there. AND, I want you to tap into your inner fortitude - your inner power - even now. In this episode, I give you a practical tool that's zero-cost and takes less than 5 minutes to implement. It'll help you thrive amidst the chaos so that you can continue on the path towards your dream career. Check it out right now! P.S. If you want MORE inspiration and clarity on accessing your inner fortitude, join us on Saturday, March 9th from Noon-2pm Eastern. Rob and I are hosting an online training + AMA and you're all invited! Click here to register: thepeoplestack.com/MarchEvent We're keeping the investment low so it's easy to say yes and we all have just enough skin in the game to show up powerfully. Our mission for this event is to create the space for massive clarity and power during this tumultuous time in the tech world. What's one powerful thing we can do amidst this uncertainty? Tap into our FORTITUDE! So, for the first part of this event, Rob and I will be talking about: -What exactly is fortitude, anyway? -Why fortitude is so important right now (the obvious and non-obvious reasons) -How to tap into your fortitude (even amidst the chaos and evil) -What potential success lies ahead once you harness the power of your fortitude? You're gonna wanna take notes for this training so show up ready to soak it up! And then, after the training, we'll do an AMA. Ask me anything. Ask Rob anything. Really, anything. We can't promise we'll be able to give you the best recipe for sourdough bread (not our area of expertise)...but we can have fun with it… And if you ask us about anything career- or work-related, you'll tap into our genius zones. So as long as you show up coachable and open to new perspectives, you'll get massive clarity. During times like this, we need to connect. We need to stand together. Margaret Mead was right: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” You're thoughtful. You're committed. Together, we WILL change the tech world. Your team needs you right now. Your fellow tech brothers and sisters need you right now. Your family needs you right now. Tap into your power - your FORTITUDE - and let's make it happen! See you there! Click here to register! thepeoplestack.com/MarchEvent

Rob interviewed Dan Pickett, President and Founder of Launch Academy and LaunchWare. They talked about: * The Launch Academy apprenticeship model and why it works * What Dan learned about the best ways to prepare engineers for future jobs * Why high-pressure techniques for training engineers fail * What's wrong with Computer Science Education * Weaving a positive cultural fabric of trust for developers and leaders Enjoy listening to this easy-going, friendly conversation that anyone in tech will find informative. If you're in tech leadership, you'll find it particularly eye-opening. Special Guest: Dan Pickett.

What's in your blind spots? And how do you even find them? I show you how in this episode. I show you how to begin to leverage your internal guidance so that you can see what you've previously not seen. This is going to help you build an even more powerful mindset, make even more mission-aligned decisions, take more inspired actions, and create your dreams! Pay very close attention to this one! Check it out right now.

Yes, I said it. Stress is a gift. In this episode, I show you how to embrace whatever stress you're feeling, see the gift in it, and turn that into powerful career decisions and actions. And I promise the process I share is not the usual “just accept it” mumbo jumbo. We all feel stressed so I know every one of you is going to get value out of this one. Check out this episode right now!

How do you create a powerful resume that significantly increases your chances of landing your Hell Yes job? In this episode, we show you by revealing our top 10 pieces of terrible resume advice. I also explain why they're terrible so you can start applying powerful, sustainable, proven strategies for creating your dream career. Check this one out right now!

Ready to take action in an entirely new way? In a way that's sustainable, fun, fulfilling, and full of impact on the other side? To do this, you must first understand the paradox of action. In this episode, I explain what that is and what your next action should be to create your dream career and dream life. Enjoy this very practical episode filled with proven exercises to help you take the best actions possible!

It's time to soar towards your career goals in 2024! How? By applying this principle: Action beats motivation What does this mean and how do you apply it in YOUR career so that you can finally create the tech career you truly deserve? Check out this podcast right now!

It's hibernation season. It's also the season to prepare for massive growth in the new year. In this episode, I define exactly what I mean by “hibernate” and “hyperspace.” I also give you several practical and tactical tools so you can begin making micro-habit changes starting TODAY! MASSIVE transformative changes are coming in 2024. Are you ready for them? ;) Listen to this one right now to prepare!

For this episode, Rob and I interviewed Jason Silver. He's a startup advisor and his new book, “Quietly Crushing It” is coming out in Summer 2024. We talked about: Finding joy in doing the hard things - while you deliver MORE (not less) value Why your dream job is not something you “win,” it's a practice How to add agency to everything you do as a leader Assumptions about sales - what it is and what's it's not Feedback: the good, the bad, and the ugly A simple strategy that'll drastically reduce your decision-making stress How to persuade people to change their mindset Why “what do you think?” can be a terrible question The importance of gratitude This was an assumption-challenging conversation - even for us! Enjoy applying its valuable lessons Special Guest: Jason Silver.

How many more “drop everything!” crises can you handle right now? It's probably your current load minus 1 (or minus 10). We live in an era of surrounded by overwhelm. And it's overwhelming! How do you handle it like a badass leader so that you can intentionally create your dream career and dream life? Check out this episode for a simple, zero-cost, 3-step process that you can do TODAY to start optimizing your response to stress.

For this episode, Rob and I interviewed Shobana Radhakrishnan, Senior Director of Engineering at Google TV. We talked about: * Overcoming feeling “stupid” and asking “dumb” questions at large group meetings * Why women employees don't need crutches * Building a culture of psychological safety (no, it doesn't happen by accident) * Why taking ownership is the key to career and leadership growth * Why training job interviewers is of paramount importance * Dealing with fear and playing outside your comfort zone * Dealing with naysayers from a place of neutrality and confidence * The “Friday Night” problem and the problem with having way too many subscriptions * Why she chose a career in engineering instead of medicine This was a delightfully rich conversation that will inspire you to grow as a leader and as a human! Special Guest: Shobana Radhakrishnan.

Online courses - even with the best intentions - are self-improvement theater. And there's nothing wrong with theater! What's important is to understand what it can and cannot do for you. In this episode, I take a deep dive into online learning - what its value REALLY is, what it's not, how to set yourself up for success when you take courses, and most importantly what to do AFTER. Grab your favorite note-taking tools and cuddle up with this podcast so that you can leverage the wealth of information that's out there and turn it into your Hell Yes tech job, with your Hell Yes team, and your Hell Yes Salary. Enjoy!

For this episode, Rob and I interviewed Kathy Sebuck, Founder/CEO of Marchitecture and author of Waves of Change: Growth Mindset Tools for Connected Balance. We talked about: -What is a growth mindset and how do we know we've achieved it? -Why discovering our core values is so important -How to avoid weaponizing mindfulness and positivity -Why being color blind to red flags might be ruining your life -What adulting REALLY means (no, it's not about paying bills or taking out the garbage) -How to give yourself permission to be your best self & conduct your own woo-woo choo-choo This episode was a blast to create and we hope it's a blast for you to listen to! Check it out right now! Special Guest: Kathy Sebuck.

Some red flags are truly useless - like that colleague who always sends emails with “asap” in them and it's never truly an emergency. But others are helpful. And if you ignore these red flags, your career will suffer. How do you know what red flags you're ignoring that you shouldn't be? And why bother, anyway? Why is it so important to be aware of what we're tolerating? I explain all of this in this episode so that you can have a level of career & life clarity that you never had before… …and create your dreams from the most powerful place possible.

For this episode, Rob and I interviewed Dave Sobel, the host of the Business of Tech podcast (https://www.businessof.tech/). We talked about: The ins and outs of managed service providers (MSPs) and why they're relevant to a growing number of people (yes, even you) Why the intersection of business and tech is the key to success for so many tech folks How to move from being a cost center to being a revenue generator The importance of being comfortable talking about money, money, money Risk management, IT security, and the mafia behind current tech threats Why education is the core offering for many tech companies How he became a full-time podcaster Enjoy this multi-layered, informative, and fun episode! Special Guest: Dave Sobel.

Even if it's well-meaning, advice can be harmful. This goes for both giving and receiving advice. Why is it harmful and what do you do instead? I want you to empower yourself and others w/out treating them like robots… ...while you co-create all of the marvelous work & career & life outcomes you desire! Check this one out right now!

Stop treating your career like a seasonal gig. There's no “perfect” time or season to land a new job or promotion. It's time for you to treat your career with more intention and become a year-round badass career athlete! In this episode, I talk about why this is so important and how to make this shift so you can create your dream tech leadership job no matter what's going on externally. Check this one out right away!

For this episode, I interviewed Marc Prine who is an I/O Psychologist with the management advisory firm MIP Consulting. We talked about: The good, bad, and ugly of employee monitoring systems How to REALLY build trust with team members Psychometric testing (and why Meyers Briggs & DISC are good for fun & games only) How to increase your confidence and executive presence The best way to hire (that's backed by the scientific literature) How to fire with dignity How his “no asshole rule” helped him create his dream career Enjoy this valuable episode full of evidence-based leadership principles, strategies, and tactics. Special Guest: Marc Prine.

There are no quick answers to complex problems - including career problems. It's never - “You just have to update your resume” or something similar. Also, there are no guarantees in life so why should we offer guarantees to you? In this episode, I explain exactly why we don't offer money-back guarantees (like so many other coaches are doing right now)... …and more importantly, I explain why embracing your own agency - your own badass power - is the key to your career success. Tune in right now!

For this episode, Rob and I interviewed April Wensel, founder of Compassionate Coding. We talked about: * What her mission at Compassionate Coding is * Why compassion is so important * How leaders can create more compassionate organizations * Connection, communication across differences, & assertiveness * The roles of suffering and intuition in building compassion * How mindfulness and spirituality are important pieces to the compassion puzzle * Her honest answer to “is this your dream career?” Enjoy this multi-layered and useful episode! Special Guest: April Wensel.

It's back-to-school time so let's talk about books and online courses. Let's get serious about what they can and cannot do. In this episode, I invite you to take an honest look at what you're doing (and not doing) to intentionally create your dream tech career. And ask yourself: Are those books and online courses REALLY helping? Because they are NOT the key to career success. In this episode, I talk about what that key is. Enjoy!

In this episode of the People Stack Podcast, Rob sits down with author and consultant Avi Ben-Yosef to talk about: smaller teams with smaller egos leading teams worth leading leadership as a profession connecting tech teams more closely to business outcomes, and how that determines startup success how you actually gather REAL experience (not just years or lines on your resume) Enjoy this jam-packed episode! Special Guest: Aviv Ben-Yosef.

For this episode, Rob and I interviewed Josh Doody, a self-employed Salary Negotiation Coach who specializes in helping high earners get paid what they're worth. We talked about: * Fearless Salary Negotiation * Pay Bands * Revealing Your Salary History * Salary Transparency * His money beliefs and definition of financial success * Why being a Salary Negotiation Coach is his dream career Enjoy this informative and eye-opening episode! Special Guest: Josh Doody.

What's your career worth? In this episode, I crunch some numbers to show why it's worth way more than $5M. And more importantly, I address why this is so important. Spoiler alert: Many of you are not giving your career it's due attention. I talk about how to fix that. Tune in right now!

For this episode, Rob and I interviewed Roy Rapoport, a people-oriented people leader with decades of experience working for marquee tech companies including Macromedia, Slack, and Netflix. We talked about: * Roy's dream jobs and why they were dream jobs * Why Roy doesn't want to identify as a “great leader” * Shame & Leadership * Mentoring vs. Leading * Why love is a key ingredient to making an impact * Roy's views on retirement and money management * and soooo much more! Enjoy this useful, fun episode full of inspiring truths! Special Guest: Roy Rapoport.

Want to be able to access confidence on demand? Confidence even when - especially when - things aren't the way you want? Then this is definitely a podcast you'll want to listen to very carefully! I explain exactly what unconditional confidence is and why it's so important - spoiler alert: it profoundly affects your ability to build your dream career. I also explain HOW to cultivate this kind of confidence - and to get better at it over time. AND you're gonna feel GREAT about this increased flow of confidence! You won't feel slimy or jerky or bitchy or fake about it one bit. Tune in and get ready for a huge confidence breakthrough!

In this episode, I want to get into a tricky topic that a lot of our clients deal with. It's this idea that being paid more is somehow bad or evil. That wanting bigger paychecks and a higher quality of life means you're a craven Scrooge who's in it for the money, not because you truly love the work. To illustrate this quandary, I share the Tale of Two Joes (both tech leaders). By the end of the episode, I hope you'll see that money is NOT evil. I hope you'll see that earning more money is win, win, win! Tune in right now!

This interview was super fun to do and I hope you find it super fun to listen to! Rob and I interviewed Joe Meyer, an NLP researcher at Erudit, an AI-based HR company. In addition to his expertise in AI, Joe is also persuing a Ph.D. in I/O Psychology, so two of us go along swimmingly. ;) We talked about: * Some big AI myths (and Joe dispelled them) * Faking good and the validity of AI data * The fear and excitement around AI * The intersection of AI and I/O Psychology * Joe's career and the fun, interesting, & scary things that have happened * and soooo much more! Grab a beverage, get comfy, and enjoy our conversation with Joe Meyer! Special Guest: Joe Meyer.

What are you tolerating in your career and at work? What are you settling for? Because we get what we tolerate. If you're tolerating an asshole boss or less-than-adequate paychecks, or unfulfilling work, you're gonna keep getting those things. So, how do you shift to a place where you're no longer willing to tolerate anything less than your dream career and dream life… …so that you can gratefully LIVE your dream without an ounce of regret? Check out this week's episode right now!

The People Stack Podcast interview series is back!!! And what better way to re-launch than to have our friend and trusted mentor Micheal Lopp back on. Please consider this episode a master class in tech leadership best practices - with many other juicy topics mixed in. Rob interviewed Michael and they talked about: * Getting humans to communicate better (Michael's bread and butter) * Michael's dream jobs and how they came into his life * What being a stimulus driven creature means (and how it might be helpful in your life) * The fear of becoming irrelevant * and soooo much more! Please enjoy this super insightful, super fun episode! ★★ ★ Check out our FREE online training: https://training.thepeoplestack.com This training will take you through the exact steps our tech manager clients are using to command premium salaries with at least $200k/year without working their butts of 50+ hours/week. Special Guest: Michael Lopp.

What's in your way of creating your dream career & dream life? It's NOT the economy, the job market, your workplace, your boss, or anyone else in your life. NOTHING external to you is truly in the way. So I invite you to STOP using the external as excuses like when you say: “The job market is bonkers right now. I'm gonna stay put even though my job could be better.” “The economy is terrible right now. We need to put off that vacation.” “My boss is super stressed right now. It's a really bad time to ask for a raise or promotion.” Cut it out! ;) In this episode, I talk about what's REALLY in the way and how to identify specifically what's in in YOUR WAY so you open up new possibilities to co-create your dream. Open heart, empty your cup, and grab your Superhero cape for this one! Check it out right now!

We all beat ourselves up from time to time. What does this look like, why is it bad, and what do you do instead? I share this b/c I want ALL of you to be able to create your dream careers from a pure place of joy, freedom, love, and prosperity. Give this one a listen right away!

Many tech leaders believe that in order to create your dream life, you have to do it on your own. They follow in the footsteps of people who say, “I'm a self-made millionaire!” For example, many of you have not reached out for help because you believe you need to solve your problems on your own. In this episode, I bust this Self-Made Myth. And, I show you what to focus on instead so that you can not only achieve your wildest career & life dreams… …but also have loads of FUN while you do it! It's time for some myth busting! Check this one out right now.

Stop setting goals that you think are reasonable, achievable, or attainable. In other words - SMART goals often set you up on a path toward failure! In this episode I talk about why… …and what to do instead so you can set goals that set you up for success and fulfillment every single time… …in your career and the rest of your life! Tune in right now!