Build vs Buy vs AI in product development
We are now more than halfway through 2026. AI tools and LLMs are not only writing code, but are (for good and bad) taking over much of our development life…
Practical tools, real-world lessons, and honest reflections on engineering leadership
The Clock Is Already Running
When does your organization actually feel the loss of someone important? Not on the day they leave. And usually not in the first month either. Often not until three to…
What Color Is Your Tuesday
Open your calendar and look at the next week without reading any titles. Just look at the colors. If you can't immediately tell which days will drain you and which…
Innovation Dies in Silence
You don’t build safety in offsites. You build it in how you respond when someone messes up or disagrees.
The Bus Factor: How Many People Can You Afford to Lose?
The bus factor is a simple yet powerful way to think about execution risk in engineering organizations. It refers to the number of people who would need to suddenly disappear…
One-Way vs Two-Way Doors
Not every decision deserves a meeting. But try telling that to some organizations, where even choosing a linting rule somehow requires stakeholder alignment and a follow-up meeting.
MCP for the REST of Us
If you've been anywhere near AI tooling lately, you've probably heard about MCPs. Let me break down what MCP actually is, why it exists, and how it differs from the…
Put Your "But" on the Table
You spend hours on your presentation. You rehearse in the shower. You nail the delivery. Then Greg from finance raises his hand: "Yeah, but what about X?" Dammit, Greg. Here's how to Greg-proof…