Nov 17Dealing with the Ups and Downs of Leadership8:00 — A team member shares a cancer diagnosis. 9:00 — A team member shares pictures of their new baby. 10:00 — A critical application goes down, and it’s your team’s fault. 11:00 — Celebrate a monumental project success. 12:00 — Take a deep breath for a minute. 1:00 —…Dumb And Dumber4 min readDumb And Dumber4 min read
Nov 10Leadership Lesson from Deer Hunting — Part 2Four years ago, I wrote “Leadership Lesson from Deer Hunting.” It’s one of my better articles. I wrote about the lessons learned from the preparation required to hunt and the stillness and patience in the woods. …Deer Hunting5 min readDeer Hunting5 min read
Nov 3Leadership Lessons from Building a Mandalorian SuitIn retrospect, had we known how much work it was going to be, we probably would have never done it. That’s how it is with ambitious endeavors. It starts with a vision. Then, we commit. Then, we nearly fail in a hundred different ways, yet we persevere to the end. …3D Printing5 min read3D Printing5 min read
Oct 20Hey Tech Leaders: How Often Do You Get Your Hands Dirty With Technology?Last week, I published a big article about ZachGPT: My little side project to build an artificial intelligence in my likeness. If you missed it, check it out here. In the week since, I’ve been reflecting on that experience. It felt really good to get my hands dirty with emerging…AI4 min readAI4 min read
Oct 13Introducing ZachGPT: Your AI Leadership ChatbotSo, I did it. I merged with AI. I jacked in. My consciousness is in the machine. Well, sort of. I read and watch plenty of Sci-Fi. This sort of thing fascinates me. While my opening statement is an exaggeration, it’s as close as I can get with today’s technology…AI5 min readAI5 min read
Oct 6Leadership Lessons from Servicing Candy Machines as a TeenagerWhen I was 13, I got my first job. I was a newspaper carrier. I learned a ton of formative personal leadership lessons from that experience and I wrote them all down here. With that job, I was my own boss. I worked alone. When I turned 16, I got…Vending Machine Business5 min readVending Machine Business5 min read
Sep 29From Engineer to OwnerOwnership. It means, “I’ve got this.” It’s the words, actions, and attitude. It’s the competence and the confidence. It’s not associated with any particular job title or level. When it’s there, we feel good. When it’s not, we’re lost. In the world of information technology, ownership can be elusive. Development…Ownership6 min readOwnership6 min read
Sep 22The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Technology LeadersTrue story: Generative AI recently hallucinated, claiming that I wrote an e-book entitled, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Technology Leaders.” That was totally made up. But I liked the idea, so I decided to defictionalize it. Or here’s a creepier explanation: GenAI knew the future… Never mind. …7 Habits5 min read7 Habits5 min read
Sep 15What Happens When You Go for a Big Leadership Role and Don’t Get It?I was just talking to a friend recently who didn’t get a leadership role he applied for. In this particular case, the fact that he went for it was very public among his peers. It was a long shot. There was an incumbent with a clear advantage. My friend was…Leadership3 min readLeadership3 min read
Sep 8Leadership Lessons from the Jungle Cows of Costa RicaI just got back from a two-week vacation with my family and another family that we are close friends with. There were 13 of us in all, exploring the beauty of Costa Rica. Early in the trip, I earned the nickname, “Nature Guide.” When we went on hikes in the…Costa Rica3 min readCosta Rica3 min read
