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Tech Leadership Unfiltered

Insights, tools and resources you actually need to build thriving teams
James Samuel, speaker imageAnna McDougall, speaker imageGregor Ojstersek, speaker imageKelly Vaughn, speaker imageRonen Agranat, speaker image
Gregor Ojstersek
CTO & Author, Engineering Leadership Newsletter
Anna McDougall
Director of Engineering Operations, Blinkist
Kelly Vaughn
Sr. Engineering Manager, Zapier
James Samuel
Engineering Manager, Reddit
Ronen Agranat
Software Development Manager, Entelect
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/leadership-lessons

Real leaders. Real talk. Every month we sit down with tech leaders to unpack what’s worked, what hasn’t, and the lessons they wish they’d known sooner.

/more-from-our-speakers

Gregor Ojstersek, speaker image
Gregor Ojstersek
How to grow from IC to Engineering Leader
“What makes you a great IC won’t make you a great leader. Leadership is about making the people around you better.”
Watch on demand
Gregor Ojstersek, speaker image

Quick bytes

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Using AI tools
responsibly
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You don’t need
a title to lead
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AI isn’t a
silver bullet
Kelly Vaughn, speaker image
Kelly Vaughn
How to use empathy and curiosity to build human-first teams
"Leadership is social work 101. It’s how you communicate, build rapport, handle tough conversations, and help people grow."
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Kelly Vaughn, speaker image

Quick bytes

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Promotions are built,
not given
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AI can’t
replace judgment
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Curiosity beats
tough feedback
Anna, speaker image
Anna J McDougall
How to turn self-advocacy into team impact
“I refuse to wait for someone to open the door for me. I’ll open it myself — and then hold it open for others.”
Watch on demand
Anna, speaker image

Quick bytes

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#1 mistake new Managers make (and how to avoid it)
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Lessons in fast
career growth
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Overcoming imposter syndrome as a Leader
Ronen, speaker image
Ronen Agranat
How to grow great engineering managers from within
“Give them real impact. Let them succeed or fail on their own merit — and be there when they need you.”
Watch on demand
Ronen, speaker image
James Samuel, speaker image
James Samuel
How to build influence without the title
“Leadership isn’t about the role — it’s about creating a path and helping others get there.”
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James Samuel, speaker image
Mark Copeland, speaker image
Mark Copeland
How to scale team autonomy without losing strategic control
“Control doesn’t scale. But if you give your team context, they’ll often go further than you expected."
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Mark Copeland, speaker image

Quick bytes

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Clarity in,
control out
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Imposter Syndrome
in Leadership
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Asking for help
builds trust
Riaan, speaker image
Riaan Nel
How to lead when the path isn’t clear
“You’re going to make decisions that feel bad. That’s the job. And no one tells you that when you start.”
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Riaan, speaker image

Quick bytes

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Don’t make snap judgments. Understand the why first
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How to interpret context and lead within that context
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Actionable tips to create safe spaces for your team
Lena, speaker image
Lena Reinhard
How to stop confusing care with self-sacrifice
“Most leaders burn out not because they don’t care, but because they care too much.”
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Lena, speaker image

Quick bytes

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Using AI tools
responsibly
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You don’t need
a title to lead
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AI isn’t a
silver bullet
Adrien, speaker image
Adriën Erasmus
How to scale your company without sacrificing culture
“It’s never ‘people or product'. It’s always both. That tension is the job.”
Watch on demand
Adrien, speaker image
Kurt Kruger, speaker image
Kurt Kruger
How to be a manager without losing your tech edge
“You have to be close enough to the work to care — and far enough to spot the patterns.”
Watch on demand
Kurt Kruger, speaker image

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Guides, frameworks, and practical steps from tech leaders
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New data on salaries, hiring trends and retention
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Community events and resources to help you lead
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/lead-with-ai

Explore how AI is reshaping tech leadership, with practical insights and tools to help you stay ahead and lead with confidence.
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/community-hot-takes

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What I built with AI and what it solved
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My top lesson from working with AI
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Where to start: your first step into AI
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Common pitfalls with using AI

/community-events

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/leadership-bytes

Quick insights. Big impact. Bite-sized leadership wisdom and actionable tips curated to help you grow every day, no matter where you are on your leadership journey.

/featured

/the-engineering-leadership-report
Leading in the AI era
Leading a tech team has never been more complex. From isolation and invisible work to AI-driven change and evolving hiring practices, tech leaders are navigating uncharted territory. This report shares insights from more than 280 South African tech leaders on how they’re managing teams, growing as leaders, and adapting to AI in the workplace.
Download report
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/latest-reads

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