In this conversation, Chris Stasiuk explores the challenges engineers face when transitioning into leadership roles, particularly the pitfalls of over-relying on logic. He emphasizes that while correctness is crucial in engineering, leadership requires a different approach that values influence, trust, and emotional intelligence. Stasiuk discusses how this disconnect can lead to ineffective leadership, where compliance replaces commitment, and teams feel disengaged. He encourages leaders to reflect on their reliance on logic and consider how to foster genuine alignment and ownership within their teams.

Re:Engineered is a podcast for engineers and technical professionals navigating the shift from technical excellence to leadership responsibility.

Hosted by Chris Stasiuk, a professional engineer with over 25 years in engineering consulting and leadership roles, the show treats leadership, communication, and decision-making as systems to understand — not personality traits to fake. No buzzwords. No corporate theater. Just clear thinking about how technical people actually lead.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and related resources at https://chrisstasiuk.com/podcast/.

In this episode, Chris Stasiuk discusses the challenges engineers face when transitioning into leadership roles, particularly around decision-making. He introduces the concept of 'decision stall,' where leaders hesitate to make decisions due to a desire for certainty. Stasiuk emphasizes the importance of recognizing the difference between one-way and two-way decisions, advocating for action and movement to gain clarity and build self-trust in leadership.

Re:Engineered is a podcast for engineers and technical professionals navigating the shift from technical excellence to leadership responsibility.

Hosted by Chris Stasiuk, a professional engineer with over 25 years in engineering consulting and leadership roles, the show treats leadership, communication, and decision-making as systems to understand — not personality traits to fake. No buzzwords. No corporate theater. Just clear thinking about how technical people actually lead.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and related resources at https://chrisstasiuk.com/podcast/.

Summary

In this conversation, Chris Stasiuk explores the transition from engineering to leadership, highlighting the fundamental differences in mindset and approach required. He discusses how engineers often struggle with self-trust and decision-making in leadership roles due to the shift from a focus on correctness to one of judgment and ambiguity. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding these dynamics to navigate leadership effectively and develop the necessary skills for success.

Re:Engineered is a podcast for engineers and technical professionals navigating the shift from technical excellence to leadership responsibility.

Hosted by Chris Stasiuk, a professional engineer with over 25 years in engineering consulting and leadership roles, the show treats leadership, communication, and decision-making as systems to understand — not personality traits to fake. No buzzwords. No corporate theater. Just clear thinking about how technical people actually lead.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and related resources at https://chrisstasiuk.com/podcast/.

Summary

In this episode, Chris Stasiuk explores the transition engineers face when stepping into leadership roles, highlighting the common feelings of uncertainty and self-doubt that arise. He emphasizes the distinction between confidence and self-trust, explaining how engineers often rely on external validation and struggle with judgment in ambiguous situations. The conversation delves into the importance of making decisions and learning from outcomes to rebuild self-trust, ultimately framing leadership as a skill that requires practice and internal validation.

Re:Engineered is a podcast for engineers and technical professionals navigating the shift from technical excellence to leadership responsibility.

Hosted by Chris Stasiuk, a professional engineer with over 25 years in engineering consulting and leadership roles, the show treats leadership, communication, and decision-making as systems to understand — not personality traits to fake. No buzzwords. No corporate theater. Just clear thinking about how technical people actually lead.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and related resources at https://chrisstasiuk.com/podcast/.

This conversation explores the challenges engineers face when performance becomes the primary strategy, leading to feelings of frustration and misalignment. It discusses how engineers often rationalize staying in roles that drain them, reframing discomfort as duty and fatigue as commitment. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between endurance and alignment in one's career, and the need for self-trust in leadership roles. The episode concludes with a teaser for the next discussion on trust issues among capable engineers.

Re:Engineered is a podcast for engineers and technical professionals navigating the shift from technical excellence to leadership responsibility.

Hosted by Chris Stasiuk, a professional engineer with over 25 years in engineering consulting and leadership roles, the show treats leadership, communication, and decision-making as systems to understand — not personality traits to fake. No buzzwords. No corporate theater. Just clear thinking about how technical people actually lead.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and related resources at https://chrisstasiuk.com/podcast/.

In this conversation, Chris Stasiuk discusses the challenges engineers face when their performance becomes their primary strategy. He highlights how high performers can unintentionally become bottlenecks in their organizations and the importance of shifting from being an expert to a leader. The discussion emphasizes the need for engineers to build capabilities in others rather than solving problems themselves, ultimately leading to a more effective and sustainable work environment.

Re:Engineered is a podcast for engineers and technical professionals navigating the shift from technical excellence to leadership responsibility.

Hosted by Chris Stasiuk, a professional engineer with over 25 years in engineering consulting and leadership roles, the show treats leadership, communication, and decision-making as systems to understand — not personality traits to fake. No buzzwords. No corporate theater. Just clear thinking about how technical people actually lead.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and related resources at https://chrisstasiuk.com/podcast/.

In this conversation, Chris Stasiuk explores the challenges engineers face regarding certainty and communication as they progress in their careers. He discusses how early in their careers, engineers are rewarded for being decisive and having strong opinions, but as they advance, the nature of problems becomes more complex and involves collaboration. Stasiuk emphasizes the importance of leading with reasoning rather than conclusions to foster trust and engagement in discussions. He also touches on the pitfalls of becoming indispensable and how it can lead to a performance trap.

Re:Engineered is a podcast for engineers and technical professionals navigating the shift from technical excellence to leadership responsibility.

Hosted by Chris Stasiuk, a professional engineer with over 25 years in engineering consulting and leadership roles, the show treats leadership, communication, and decision-making as systems to understand — not personality traits to fake. No buzzwords. No corporate theater. Just clear thinking about how technical people actually lead.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and related resources at https://chrisstasiuk.com/podcast/.

In this episode, Chris Stasiuk explores the often-overlooked skills of engineers and the cognitive blind spots that prevent them from recognizing their own expertise. He emphasizes the importance of gaining visibility into one's skills and how this can impact professional development and communication. The conversation provides actionable insights for engineers to better understand their value and advocate for themselves in the workplace.

Re:Engineered is a podcast for engineers and technical professionals navigating the shift from technical excellence to leadership responsibility.

Hosted by Chris Stasiuk, a professional engineer with over 25 years in engineering consulting and leadership roles, the show treats leadership, communication, and decision-making as systems to understand — not personality traits to fake. No buzzwords. No corporate theater. Just clear thinking about how technical people actually lead.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and related resources at https://chrisstasiuk.com/podcast/.