Podcast appearances and mentions of alex balazs

Today we're talking to Alex Balazs, Chief Technology Officer at Intuit. We discuss the rapid pace at which technology is evolving and how Alex is harnessing the power of that technology to continually disrupt Intuit into the modern age. All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast!  To learn more about Intuit, check out their website here: https://www.intuit.com/ Produced by ProSeries Media: https://proseriesmedia.com/ For booking inquiries, email booking@proseriesmedia.com

06/10/24: Cara Mund will face other republican candidates in the primary election tomorrow, including Julie Fedorchak, Rick Becker, and Alex Balazs. She joins Joel to talk about women's healthcare, her lack of support for Donald Trump, and more.  Cara is a native of North Dakota, and she said that she made history in 2017 by being the first and only Miss America from the state. She is also a practicing lawyer, and now she's running again for U.S. Congress.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

06/07/24: Joel Heitkamp is joined on the KFGO airwaves by Dr. Rick Becker. Rick served in the State House from 2012 to 2022, and is running for US House against the other Republican candidates, including Cara Mund, Julie Fedorchak, and Alex Balazs. He and Joel talk about negative campaigning, his beliefs on property taxes, national support, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

06/03/24: The Republican-endorsed candidate for U.S. Congress, Alex Balazs, joins Joel Heitkamp on "News and Views." He will face Cara Mund, Julie Fedorchak, and Rick Becker in the primary election on June 11th. Joel and Alex talk specifically about the Farm Bill, support for Donald Trump, women's healthcare, veteran services, and more.  Check out his campaign website at alexfornorthdakota.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the GFBS Studios today is Alex Balazs - North Dakota US House Candidate. He discusses his background and his campaign for the upcoming election on June 11th, 2024. For more information on Alex's campaign visit - alexfornorthdakota.com   Show is recorded at Grand Forks Best Source. For studio information, visit www.gfbestsource.com – Or message us at bit.ly/44meos1 – GFBS is a locally owned business; help support GFBS at this donation link - https://bit.ly/3vjvzgX -    For easy access to past GFBS Interviews visit https://gfbsinterviews.podbean.com/ #gfbs #gfbestsource.com #grandforksnd #interview #local #grandforks 

Episode #11 - 701Nation - POWERED BY LAUER AUTO REPAIR - May 30th, 2024 In the chamber for this episode: 1. North Dakota Republican party endorsed candidate for congress Alex Balazs. 2. Eleven flags that trigger leftists. 3. North Dakota Democrat governor candidates 2nd Amendment stance. 4. Celebrity zeros of the week. 5. Happy ending story. POWERED BY LAUER AUTO REPAIR! Sponsored by HH Guns, Bloodline Kinetics & Mandan Sporting Goods. Thank You for Watching, please share, subscribe, and support GUNS & The 701/701Nation on all our of platforms - Clay, Mike, Vance, & JD GUNS & The 701 airs LIVE every Wednesday night at 6pm mst/7pm cst Check out 701Nation - Hosted by JD on all of our platforms! Guns & The 701 on Mitchell in The Morning on KFYR 550 AM radio or 99.7 FM radio - Every FRIDAY Morning at 7:40am mst/8:40am cst!!! Also on iHeart.com - Tune in and get the latest updates on the 2nd Amendment, North Dakota, and more!!! Email: GUNS@GunsAndThe701.com Find us on: Facebook Youtube Rumble X (Twitter) www.gunsandthe701.com

U.S. House candidate Alex Balazs is still set on winning. On this episode of Plain Talk, he told me and co-host Chad Oban that he plans to finish the last two weeks of his primary campaign strong. There will be ads and billboards and travel, and the candidate, who received the North Dakota Republican Party's convention endorsement in April, thinks he can win, despite polls showing him in a distant 4th place. But if he doesn't, would he stay involved in politics? "I just don't know," he said. Balazs also took questions about Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York, with its looming verdict, and the level of assistance he's received from the North Dakota Republican Party. "They've been really good at helping," he said. Also on this episode, Chad and I discuss the recent polling in the Republican House and gubernatorial primaries, dirty campaigning in legislative races, and more. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts, or click here for more information.

05/24/24: KFGO News Director Paul Jurgens is joined by InForum columnist and former WDAY TV reporter and former KVRR TV news director, Jim Shaw, as well as the editor-in-chief of North Dakota's States Newsroom outlet, Amy Dalrymple, to moderate a debate between four of the five Republican candidates to represent North Dakota in Congress. The candidates participating include Julie Fedorchak, Rick Becker, Cara Mund, and the Republican-endorsed candidate, Alex Balazs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I like debates," Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorhcak told me and co-host Chad Oban on this episode of Plain Talk. Fedorchak has come under fire from some of her opponents in the Republican U.S. House primary. Three of them — Rick Becker, Cara Mund, and Alex Balazs — participated in a recent debate sponsored by BEK Television. Fedorchak did not. "Last weekend was a balancing act," she said, noting that she's already participated in one debate with her opponents, with two more planned. She told us that the night of the debate was also her son's graduation party. "I wanted to devote my attention to my son on Friday night," she said. Fedorchak also responded to a recent independent poll I reported on, which shows her in a dead heat with Becker in the race (Mund is trailing as a distant third). She said she got into the race late and had a deficit in name identification with voters but that the poll "shows that we closed the gap" with Becker. She added that she feels confident about her position in the race. "I'm the only candidate who has consistently been a Republican," she said, referencing the fact that both Mund and Becker campaigned against Republicans as independents last cycle. "I have strong favorability in the polling we've seen," she added. That's something Dean Mitchell of DFM Research, who conducted the survey for North Dakota United, spoke about as well in a separate interview. Mitchell said the House race is tight but favors Fedorchak. "I'd rather not be Becker," he said. "I think he's at his ceiling. I think she (Fedorchak) has more room for growth." "I'd give the edge to Fedorchak," he added, though he acknowledged that the race is very close. "I wouldn't put much money on it." The NDU poll also covered the gubernatorial race, showing current U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong with a 38-point lead over Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller, a nearly identical result to numbers released to me by the Armstrong campaign from a contemporaneous poll. "I don't want to say you can put a fork in it," Mitchell said, "but the silverware is on the table." To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts, or click here for more information.

Etienne sits down this episode with Alex Balazs, the CTO of Intuit, for an eye-opening discussion on vulnerability, leadership, and the cutting-edge realm of generative AI. Alex shares insights from his journey, from TurboTax's chief architect to leading technology at Intuit. He delves into the pivotal role vulnerability plays in effective leadership, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and humanity in fostering collaboration and innovation.Alex sheds light on the transformative potential of generative AI and its applications in revolutionizing customer experiences. From enhancing email marketing with MailChimp to reimagining tax preparation with TurboTax, Alex reveals how Intuit is leveraging AI to deliver tangible benefits to users.Alex and Etienne also navigate the challenges of staying ahead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Alex emphasizes the need for CTOs to dream big, experiment boldly, and prioritize customer impact, and he underscores the power of community and collaboration in driving positive change, urging technologists to harness their skills for the greater good.Through anecdotes and insights, Alex inspires listeners to embrace vulnerability, seize opportunities, and leverage technology for transformative impact. Join Etienne and Alex in this enlightening conversation about the intersections of leadership, technology, and human connection.Time Stamps:[1:09] - Alex discusses how he progressed from Turbotax's chief architect to Intuit's chief technology officer.[3:23] - Vulnerability, often overlooked in leadership, fosters connection and strength, a crucial lesson in leadership.[5:09] - Alex argues that shifting from having answers to asking questions fosters growth and leadership.[8:23] - Being a CTO can feel lonely, but community support humanizes and strengthens leadership.[10:29] - Etienne discusses how the accessibility and humility of influential leaders contrast with those of smaller companies.[12:00] - Mastering scale is crucial for large company CTOs, balancing priorities and fostering efficiency.[15:15] - The rapid progress of generative AI and cutting-edge hardware designs signal groundbreaking technological advancements.[18:32] - Alex points out how the rapid evolution of technology has made home automation mainstream.[19:45] - Alex shares a story of how during a loud event like the Super Bowl halftime show, noise-canceling earbuds offered a safer, clearer experience.[22:03] - Etienne argues that navigating disruptions and commitments as a CTO demands staying informed and strategic.[24:21] - According to Alex, to truly shake things up with tech, it's not about being just slightly better but rather ten times superior.[26:26] - Intuit prioritizes customer impact, aiming for tenfold improvement with AI innovations.[29:19] - Alex discusses how generative AI shifts tech to prioritizing accuracy over human fallibility, which requires education.[31:48] - Tech innovation now surpasses predictions; building adaptable organizations is key to embracing disruption.[34:08] - Alex points out that we should be embracing both practical and groundbreaking cases for innovation.[36:49] - Alex closes by encouraging community support, networking, and dreaming big to leverage technology for positive change.We have 200+ CTOs in peer groups: Quick Testimonials VideoContact Etienne: Website / YouTube / LinkedIn / X / Instagram / The CTO Podcast WebsiteContact Alex: LinkedInSchedule a meeting with Etienne on Calendly Get full access to CTO Podcast at www.ctopod.com/subscribe

Etienne sits down this episode with Alex Balazs, the CTO of Intuit, for an eye-opening discussion on vulnerability, leadership, and the cutting-edge realm of generative AI. Alex shares insights from his journey, from TurboTax's chief architect to leading technology at Intuit. He delves into the pivotal role vulnerability plays in effective leadership, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and humanity in fostering collaboration and innovation.Alex sheds light on the transformative potential of generative AI and its applications in revolutionizing customer experiences. From enhancing email marketing with MailChimp to reimagining tax preparation with TurboTax, Alex reveals how Intuit is leveraging AI to deliver tangible benefits to users.Alex and Etienne also navigate the challenges of staying ahead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Alex emphasizes the need for CTOs to dream big, experiment boldly, and prioritize customer impact, and he underscores the power of community and collaboration in driving positive change, urging technologists to harness their skills for the greater good.Through anecdotes and insights, Alex inspires listeners to embrace vulnerability, seize opportunities, and leverage technology for transformative impact. Join Etienne and Alex in this enlightening conversation about the intersections of leadership, technology, and human connection.Time Stamps:[1:09] - Alex discusses how he progressed from Turbotax's chief architect to Intuit's chief technology officer.[3:23] - Vulnerability, often overlooked in leadership, fosters connection and strength, a crucial lesson in leadership.[5:09] - Alex argues that shifting from having answers to asking questions fosters growth and leadership.[8:23] - Being a CTO can feel lonely, but community support humanizes and strengthens leadership.[10:29] - Etienne discusses how the accessibility and humility of influential leaders contrast with those of smaller companies.[12:00] - Mastering scale is crucial for large company CTOs, balancing priorities and fostering efficiency.[15:15] - The rapid progress of generative AI and cutting-edge hardware designs signal groundbreaking technological advancements.[18:32] - Alex points out how the rapid evolution of technology has made home automation mainstream.[19:45] - Alex shares a story of how during a loud event like the Super Bowl halftime show, noise-canceling earbuds offered a safer, clearer experience.[22:03] - Etienne argues that navigating disruptions and commitments as a CTO demands staying informed and strategic.[24:21] - According to Alex, to truly shake things up with tech, it's not about being just slightly better but rather ten times superior.[26:26] - Intuit prioritizes customer impact, aiming for tenfold improvement with AI innovations.[29:19] - Alex discusses how generative AI shifts tech to prioritizing accuracy over human fallibility, which requires education.[31:48] - Tech innovation now surpasses predictions; building adaptable organizations is key to embracing disruption.[34:08] - Alex points out that we should be embracing both practical and groundbreaking cases for innovation.[36:49] - Alex closes by encouraging community support, networking, and dreaming big to leverage technology for positive change.We have 200+ CTOs in peer groups: Quick Testimonials VideoContact Etienne: Website / YouTube / LinkedIn / X / Instagram / The CTO Podcast WebsiteContact Alex: LinkedInSchedule a meeting with Etienne on Calendly Get full access to CTO Podcast at www.ctopod.com/subscribe

Clay & JD welcome inNDGOP endorsed U.S. House of Representatives candidate Alex Balazs For Congress to get his stance on our 2nd Amendment rights, gun laws, shooting & hunting. Of course we'll leave some time for a few other pertinent topics as well. Thanks for your support! G&T701 team.Powered by: Lauer Auto Repair, Bloodline Kinetics, HH Guns & Mandan Sporting Goods. Thanks for your support!!!God's Blessings#KeepYourPowderDryThank You for Watching, please share, subscribe, and support GUNS & The 701 on all our of platforms - Clay, Mike, Vance, & JDGod Bless#KeepYourPowderDryGUNS & The 701 airs LIVE EVERY Wednesday night 6pm mst/7pm cstCheck out 701Nation - Hosted by JD on all of our platforms!Please subscribe to the channel, share with fellow Patriots, and watch GUNS & The 701 every Wednesday evening!!!Guns & The 701 on Mitchell in The Morning on KFYR 550 AM Radio - Every FRIDAY Morning at 7:15am mst/8:15am cst!!!Also on iHeart.com - Tune in and get the latest updates on the 2nd Amendment, North Dakota, and more!!!iHeart.com Link:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-gunsandthe701Email:GUNS@GunsAndThe701.comCommieTube Channel -/ @gunsandthe701Facist-book -/ gunsandthe701RUMBLE -https://rumble.com/c/GunsAndThe701X -https://twitter.com/gunsandthe701

Kirsten Baesler has been the elected Superintendent of North Dakota's Public Schools for nearly 12 years. She's now seeking a fourth term. Before each of her previous three elections to this office, she sought and received the North Dakota Republican Party's endorsement. She sought it again this year, but was denied it by the convention's delegates by a wide margin. They instead chose home schooling advocate James Bartlett, who has campaigned on bringing the 10 commandments and other Christian tenets to our state's public schools. On this episode of Plain Talk, Baesler told my co-host Chad Oban and I about her experiences at the state convention, Bartlett's push for more religion in schools, and why voters should give her a fourth term in office. "I have not heard in 12 years that families are asking us for more Christianity," she said. She added that she sought the NDGOP's endorsement knowing full well "things had shifted quite a bit in the Republican party" toward a new sort of populism. She said that whether or not to seek the endorsement at the convention was "weighing" on her mind. "I decided in the end I was going," she said. "I needed to make my case." Also on this episode, we discuss the politics around North Dakota's five-way Republican U.S. House primary that now features a traditional Republican in Public Service Commisisoner Julie Fedorchak, a populist Republican in former state lawmaker Rick Becker, former Miss America Cara Mund who campaigned against a Republican House incumbent as an independent last cycle, and two newcomer candidates, Alex Balazs and Sharlet Mohr. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts, or click here for more information.

04/11/24: Julie Fedorchak is a member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission and a candidate for US Congress. She withdrew from the endorsement race at the GOP state convention on Saturday after delegates were spoiling ballots for Rick Becker, and the party endorsed Alex Balazs for U.S. House.  She joins Joel on "News and Views" to talk about the convention, her support for Donald Trump, women's rights, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Balazs, the out-of-nowhere candidate who won the North Dakota Republican Party's convention endorsement last week, ended his interview on this episode of Plain Talk by joking about the tough questions we asked him. We did run him through the ringer, on everything from abortion, to Trump's claims about the 2020 election and January 6, to the farm bill, Ukraine, and Social Security. One question I thought was important to get him on the record about was how he'd handle the dysfunction that has roiled the Republican caucus in the United States House of Representatives. One of his opponents, former lawmaker Rick Becker, has promised to go to Washington D.C. and contribute to the chaos by being a "bull in a china shop." "If you just want to stir things up you're not doing your job," Balazs told us of that approach. Balazs says he was "very humbled" to receive the convention endorsement. He said he made his decision to run for Congress "at the kitchen table." "I guess you could call me a Trump Republican, he said when asked about his support for the former president, "but I'm also the first one in the kitchen to say 'why did he have to say that?'" Did Trump win the 2020 election? "We went through a process that elected Joe Biden," he said, though he also said there was some fraud in the voting, and that Democrats should acknowledge it. As for January 6? "There was no insurrection," he said. "I'm never going to support anyone who broke a window or something," he added, but said he felt there have been many people put in jail for merely walking into the capitol that day. He added that what happened on January 6 was "less wrong than what happened after." On abortion, Balazs says "the answer is no on a federal abortion ban" but that he's a "conception to death kind of person" who wants to put "more teeth in the law." Balazs also said his campaign is mostly self-funded. He claims to have raised only $2,035 from contributors so far.  So far in his campaign, he's leaned heavily on his resume in the military. When asked if he could offer documentation to substantiate that record, he said he doesn't want personal information made public --"they're very sensitive documents," he said -- but would be willing to make arrangements to have them reviewed. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts, or click here for more information.

04/08/24: Dr. Rick Becker served in the State House from 2012 to 2022, and is running for US House, and speaks to the chaos that ensued around the Congressional vote at the NDGOP convention this past weekend. North Dakota Republicans endorsed Alex Balazs for U.S. House and Julie Fedorchak withdrew from consideration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By the time you listen to this podcast, we will know if Cara Mund is going to turn the three-way Republican House primary into a four-way race. Whatever choice the former Miss America makes, North Dakota politics has gotten a lot more interesting since the North Dakota Republican Party's state convention in Fargo. And the Democratic-NPL's convention, as well. On this episode of Plain Talk, co-host Chad Oban recap the convention, and analyze what it will all mean for the June primary vote, and the November general election. A political unknown named Alex Balazs won the U.S. House endorsement over Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak, but former lawmaker Rick Becker, who was ineligible for the endorsement, encouraged his supporters to try and spoil the vote. Now Mund may enter the race, adding an additional level of complexity. Also, the convention endorsed James Bartlett for Superintendent of Public Schools despite an amateurish campaign promoting some pretty extreme ideas, such as pushing the Christian 10 commandments into classrooms. Is the NDGOP's convention even still relevant? Also, Oban attended the Democratic-NPL convention, saying the energy level there was higher than in past years behind statewide contestants like gubernatorial candidate Merrill Piepkorn, U.S. House candidate Trygve Hammer, and U.S. Senate candidate Katrina Christiansen. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts, or click here for more information.

When many think of the workplace diversity debate, many can potentially be caught feeling a dynamic of 'White men vs everyone else'. Denise sat down with Intuit Chief Architect, Alex Balazs, to discuss why that is not the case, and how white men can play a vital role in advancing diverse and equitable workplaces, and how white men (or any workplace majority group) can go about that. SEE THE LEAD INLCUSIVELY BLOGSIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER

Alex Balazs is the Intuit Chief Architect and has been working at the company for almost twenty years. Intuit’s products include QuickBooks, TurboTax, and Mint. These applications are used to file taxes, manage business invoices, conduct personal accounting, and other critical aspects of a user’s financial life. Because the applications are managing money for users, The post Scaling Intuit with Alex Balazs appeared first on Software Engineering Daily.

One of the hottest topics in tech right now is our focus for today: the present and the future of data science.   On this episode of CTO Studio, you’ll hear data science downloads from Christopher Keown who runs a local machine learning data science meetup in San Diego. You’ll also hear insights from Robert Swisher, who is the CTO of biproxi and Alex Balazs, the chief architect at Intuit. We specifically discuss when you should be adding data scientists to your team, how the role of engineering in the data science environment of today, and why data science is actually very personal and very local. Join us for those discussions on episode 61 of CTO Studio! Chris Keown Chris Keown’s San Diego Machine Learning group Kaggle biproxi Robert Swisher on LinkedIn Alex Balazs’ blog at Intuit Alex Balazs on LinkedIn Alex on CTO Studio

Are PR and positive publicity in tech two different things? Brian Jones will answer that question and more today. Brian is the CEO of Nuts and Bolts of PR and he is the master of all things positive messaging. He also happens to be one of our guests on this episode of CTO Studio. Our other guests are Alan Leard, the CEO and founder of Limelight Health and Alex Balazs, the Chief Architect at Intuit. The four of us discuss what PR is and isn’t, and if it’s different from positive messaging and positive publicity. We also talk about what makes a good conference good and a bad conference bad. We cover a lot of ground in this episode so get ready to join us on today’s CTO Studio. For more, check out 7ctos.com

Joanie interviews Alex Balazs, Senior Vice President and Chief Architect at Intuit.  Alex shares the story of his transformation from being a quiet engineer to becoming a communicative leader.  He also shares his insights on inclusion and describes how he is supportive of women in tech.  Being inclusive is key for Alex and he shares … Continue reading Alex Balazs: The Benefits of Inclusive Leadership →

The topic of “why creating diversity in tech matters” is a popular subject, and it’s something I’m asked about frequently. To give his seasoned insight is Alex Balazs, our guest today. Alex has been with Intuit for 19 years, and is a Senior Vice President and Chief Architect. He’s also an advisory board member for Tech Women @ Intuit, a program dedicated to making Intuit the top choice for women technologists. He’s learned much from being involved in that program, along with his other responsibilities at Intuit. You’ll hear him impart that wisdom on today’s edition of CTO Studio. In this episode, you’ll hear: What is ambidextrous leadership? What's the worst advice women in tech can receive? Successful software development requires certain traits - what are they? How has the computer science world become a more male-dominated industry - was it technology or society? What percentage of Intuit’s customer base is female? And so much more! He just got back from a Girls Who Code event, so we jumped right into the reasons we need more women in tech. Alex stumbled into this area about 6 or 7 years ago. He says he grew up at Intuit, and one part of that growing up has been understanding the power of diversity. One of the classic stories about diversity is when the iPhone was first released. Apple was looking through all of the pictures that were being taken. They noticed 12% of the pictures were upside down, and at first they couldn't figure out why. But eventually they realized that in the real world, there are people who are left-handed! But on their development team, everyone was right-handed, so they never thought of how to solve for left-handed people. That's an absurd example, according to Alex, but he says to think about it, and then think about the same example in the world of gender diversity, racial diversity, etc. Expanding on that topic, I also asked Alex about diversity in reference to team dynamics and collaboration - what has he seen within that context? It's especially interesting, he says, in their partnership with Girls Who Code. Young women come to the Intuit campus and many of them have a perception of what it is like to be a successful software engineer, based on the images they see in TV and the movies. And it's usually an image of a guy in a hoodie sitting in a basement somewhere writing code. But when they come to the Intuit campus, they see the collaboration that goes into software development. And they love collaborating! Software development is a place where you have to be able to communicate very well, and they love communicating. Software development requires great leadership and these young women love developing their leadership skills. So if you only recruit a certain segment of the population for software development, you won't necessarily attract the type of person who will succeed in this type of role. In terms of the team dynamic, it's important to bring in people who are comfortable delivering on the other parts of their "native genius" (a term used at Intuit which describes the things that a person is natively awesome at doing and the gifts you have that you can bring to others). And it's vital to bring in people who are diverse racially, economically, gender-wise, etc. because it brings out the best in everyone. On this episode of CTO Studio, we also talk about how we got to this point - was it society or technology? Alex believes it was both. Some of the early stories about why computer science was a very male-dominated field in the beginning show the job category itself was built around the kinds of characteristics that are more common in men. But there's also the aspect of technology got us here - as we learn what it's like to create technology, there are schools now that are built around how Silicon Valley software companies work. He has heard this from people who developed these schools, and when they say this, he asks how they built their curriculum. They tell him it's very collaborative, and less about individual tasks and more about working together. That type of environment is true at Intuit and other tech campuses he has been to - there are fewer and fewer individual offices and more collaborative work spaces. The engineers at Intuit hang out together in common areas with big tables and comfortable chairs. As they write software, sometimes they need uninterrupted coding time so they go into drop-down offices for that, but a huge part of their work is peer programming and writing code right there with someone at the same time. They often write code and get it immediately reviewed. The software industry has really developed and grown; it has realized that individual software development rarely gets you to where you want to go. Today you need different skills: you need to know how to be confrontational while still being collaborative. You need to know how to speak up and stand up for yourself. You have to have these traits to move into positions of influence, authority and leadership. To elaborate on this idea of leadership, I asked Alex what he does when he is in a meeting and notices someone is withdrawing. What techniques does he use to draw people out, especially when in a real-time meeting? In the real-time scenario, Alex says, as the leader in the room you have to draw people out. You have to create space for them. When he became the chief architect of TurboTax, he brought together some of the senior-level architects and engineers in a meeting, and the first thing he told them was that he would be the ultimate approver of every technology decision in this group and he would make zero decisions! Instead, he was going to create an environment in which decisions get made. Now, of course, he knew he would have to make some decisions, but his mindset was to make as few as possible, which in turn would lead his senior technologists doing the same. So the decisions would have to be made at the front lines; now, there's an environment in which there is space for people to lead and grow.  So if we create space, we can open things up for more diversity. If all the senior people in the room make all the decisions and none of the junior people do, then the best possible decisions aren't being made. Instead, Intuit embraces the idea of "shared vision". Alex tells us what that is, along with why you have to be vulnerable to receive praise, and how there is a huge opportunity happening now to do data the right way. This is an insightful conversation for anyone in tech - be sure to listen in to today's CTO Studio!

Guest: Alex Balazs @AlexGBalazs Full show notes are at https://developeronfire.com/podcast/episode-326-alex-balazs-find-your-voice