Leadership in Tech
Leadership in Tech
#268 – November 16, 2025
expectations shift with business conditions, not moral values and the industry demands different skills
Good engineering management is a fad
11 minutes by Will Larson
Engineering management expectations shift with business conditions, not moral values. The industry demands different skills during growth versus efficiency phases, then creates moral stories to justify these changes. Good leadership is essentially a trend that changes every few years. To succeed across these shifts, managers need eight core skills.
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What has changed the most for strategy
10 minutes by Roger Martin
Roger discusses the belief that strategy has become harder due to rising volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. He argues that business has always been volatile, and real change lies in two shifts: rising fixed costs and rapid price–value transparency. These make outcomes more predictable and concentrated, with winners taking most profits. Focused, decisive strategy is now more essential than ever.
Architectural debt is not just technical debt
6 minutes by Frederick Vanbrabant
According to Frederick, architectural debt goes beyond technical debt, affecting not only software systems but also business processes and strategic decisions. He highlights how outdated integrations, unclear ownership, and flawed frameworks create long-term risks across the company.
Mission, vision, poTAYto, poTAHto
18 minutes by Jason Cohen
Are mission and purpose statements are useful or empty jargon? Jason contrasts superficial slogans with companies that live their purpose, showing that authenticity inspires loyalty and resilience. He proposes a clearer framework: Purpose (why we exist), Vision (what we aim for), and Milestone (what’s next). True impact comes not from slogans but from acting on a purpose that genuinely matters.
From Teligent disaster to HP success: A second-order thinking story
21 minutes by Phil McKinney
This article explores how Phil McKinney transformed his decision-making after realizing he’d been reacting, not truly deciding. A colleague’s foresight—and a well-timed act of integrity—saved his family and exposed his reliance on luck. Through personal and professional lessons, Phil learns the power of second-order thinking, guided by one question: “And then what?”.
And the most popular article from the last issue was: