Tech Lead Journal

• #229 - The Management System for High-Performing Engineering Organizations - Michi Kono

  Why do engineering teams slow down as they scale? It’s not the technology—it’s the management systems.In this episode, Michi Kono, CTO at Garner Health and former engineering leader at Meta, Capital One, and Stripe, shares his battle-tested approach to building scalable engineering organizations. We explore why most teams slow down as they scale and how to build systems that accelerate growth. Our conversation covers everything from designing effective org charts to creating accountability without killing psychological safety. You’ll learn practical strategies for nurturing engineering culture while maintaining high-performance standards.Key topics discussed:The challenges of hypergrowth and the need to constantly reinvent yourselfHow to avoid slowdowns by holding teams accountable for outcomes, not just shipping codeThe art of designing org charts that maximize team autonomyBuilding a culture of accountability and learning from mistakes without blameWhen managers should stop writing code (and why this decision matters)The difference between being a people manager and an executiveWhy communication becomes the most critical skill at senior levelsTimestamps:(00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:10) Career Turning Points(03:55) Skills Advice for Engineers(06:46) The Challenges of a Hypergrowth Company(09:09) Learning and Growing in a Hypergrowth Company(12:07) The Slowdown in Engineering as You Scale(15:55) Designing Organization Structure Well(18:11) Effective Organization Chart Tips(21:05) Nurturing a Good Engineering Culture(25:37) Nurturing Psychological Safety(28:14) Learning from Mistakes & Performance Review(30:27) Being a Mission-Driven Company(32:11) Aligning Mission and Values in the Day-to-Day Work(34:45) The Importance of Management System in Organization(41:53) The Importance of Having Good Managers(45:30) For Strong ICs: Writing Code or Being a Manager?(50:55) The Difference Between a Manager Role and Executive Role(56:01) A Unique Thing Learned from Doing Payment Systems(58:43) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____Michi Kono’s BioMichi Kono is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Garner Health, a company on a mission to help people get better healthcare. With a unique and extensive career spanning multiple industries, Michi has navigated the entire spectrum of the tech world. He began his journey in startups, one of which was acquired, leading him to a role at Capital One. From there, he gained invaluable experience at tech giants like Meta and financial-tech leader Stripe before taking the helm at Garner Health. Michi is passionate about the art and science of scaling engineering teams, building resilient cultures, and designing effective management systems to drive success in high-growth environments. He believes deeply in empowering engineers, fostering accountability, and the critical importance of clear communication for any leader.Follow Michi:LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/michikonoTwitter – x.com/michikonoGarner Health – getgarner.comLike this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/229.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

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• #228 - Leading Transformational Engineering Teams with Craft in the AI Era - Mohan Krishnan

  How do you build a high-performing engineering team in the AI era? And will AI make fundamental engineering skills obsolete?In this episode, Mohan Krishnan, Head of Engineering at Grab, shares lessons from leading multiple transformational engineering teams. Drawing from his experience at Grab, Bukalapak, BBM Emtek, and Pivotal Labs, Mohan explains why core engineering fundamentals still matter, even in the age of AI, and will become even more valuable than ever. He discusses building disciplined, high-performing engineering teams and the importance of hands-on leadership. We also explore the unique challenges and vast potential of the tech landscape in Southeast Asia.Key topics discussed:Why foundational skills like TDD and system design are becoming more critical in the age of generative AIHow to effectively use AI as a pair programmer for upskilling and idea generation, while avoiding the pitfalls of “vibe coding”Mohan’s “sports team” analogy for building successful engineering teams with discipline, a mix of seniority, and a culture of deep learningThe importance of hands-on technical leadership, and why even CTOs should “dive deep” to set the right engineering barThe state of engineering talent in Southeast Asia and what’s needed to bridge the gap in deep tech and AI developmentActionable career advice for junior and mid-career professionals navigating the AI-infused software industryTimestamps:(00:00:00) Trailer & Intro(00:02:08) Career Turning Points(00:06:03) Things We Should Learn in the AI Era(00:09:53) AI as a Pair Programmer(00:13:58) The Danger of Outsourcing Our Thinking to AI(00:17:29) The Dopamine Hit of Using AI(00:20:36) Building a Successful Transformational Engineering Team(00:25:33) The Discipline Rigor in An Engineering Team(00:29:14) Understanding & Delivering Outcomes for the Business(00:32:21) Having a Tough Approach as an Engineering Leader(00:39:07) Going Back as an IC at Google(00:45:40) The Importance of Being Hands-On with Recent Technologies for Leaders(00:52:40) Hands-on vs Micromanagement(00:55:11) Engineering Talents in Southeast Asia(00:58:06) Building Tech Talents in Southeast Asia(01:01:17) Bridging the AI Gap in Southeast Asia(01:04:03) Should We Still Pursue a Tech Career in the AI Era?(01:07:24) 2 Tech Lead Wisdom_____Mohan Krishnan’s BioMohan Krishnan, based in Singapore, is currently a Head of Engineering at Grab. Mohan Krishnan brings experience from previous roles at Google, Bukalapak, BBM and Pt. Kreatif Media Karya. Mohan Krishnan holds a 1998 - 2002 Bachelor of Engineering in Multimedia, Electronics at Multimedia University. With a robust skill set that includes Ruby on Rails, Multithreading, Web Services, HTML, Services and more.Follow Mohan:LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/mohangkLike this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/228.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

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• #227 - Infrastructure as Code: Delivering Dynamic Systems for the Cloud Age - Kief Morris

  How has Infrastructure as Code changed in the last five years? Explore the key shifts and how to align your infrastructure to real business value.In this episode, Kief Morris, a Distinguished Infrastructure Engineer at Thoughtworks, returns to discuss the third edition of his book “Infrastructure as Code.” He shares fresh insights on designing and delivering dynamic systems for today’s cloud-driven world. Kief explores the evolution of IaC, practical methods for modern teams, the next generation of tools, and lessons learned from the recent years. Learn how to align infrastructure with business needs and manage today’s growing infrastructure complexities.Key topics discussed:How “Infrastructure as Code” book has evolved across three editionsWhy infrastructure decisions must align with business valueHow IaC and the toolchain have evolved over the last few yearsHandling the growing complexity of modern infrastructureThe rise of platform engineering and internal developer platformsTerraform vs. OpenTofu: which one should you use?Balancing governance, speed, and innovation in the cloud eraThe current limitations and role of AI in managing infrastructureTimestamps:(00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:39) Updates in the Last Five Years(04:13) Infrastructure as Code Definition(05:58) The Practice of Infrastructure as Code(06:32) The Differences Between the Book Editions(10:21) Aligning Infrastructure to the Business Value(15:03) Handling the Growing Infrastructure Complexities(19:10) The Tools and New Inventions in IAC(24:11) Terraform vs OpenTofu(27:38) Orchestrating Infrastructure Changes Using IAC(30:35) Platform Engineering(33:06) Internal Developer Platform Key Success Factor(37:15) Key Considerations of Building Teams with Infrastructure Skills(41:56) Infrastructure Compliance and Governance(45:53) Using AI for Infrastructure as Code(50:31) Using AI for Troubleshooting and Root Cause Analysis(51:50) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____Kief Morris’s BioKief Morris is the author of the O’Reilly book Infrastructure as Code, and is a Distinguished Infrastructure Engineer at Thoughtworks, based in London. He works with clients and project teams around the world to explore, shape, and share better ways of working with cloud and infrastructure architecture.Kief started out as a developer and systems administrator in the dot-com boom days, then worked with a series of digital scaleups applying infrastructure automation before DevOps was a thing. He joined Thoughtworks in 2010 as the wider industry was discovering Infrastructure as Code, DevOps, and Cloud, which gave him the opportunity to bring what he had learned in the previous fifteen years to enterprise clients in many industries and many countries.He wrote the book Infrastructure as Code (now on the third edition) to share these ideas with a wider audience, which has given him a platform to meet and learn from an ever-growing variety of people and organizations.Follow Kief:LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/kiefmorrisTwitter – x.com/kiefBlueSky – bsky.app/profile/kief.comPersonal Website – kief.comInfra as Code Website – infrastructure-as-code.com Infrastructure as Code – https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/infrastructure-as-code/9781098150341/Like this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/227.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

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• #226 - Ex-Google Duplex Eng Lead on Disrupting $2B Clinical Trials with AI - Patrick Leung

  Ever wondered how AI is being applied in the world of clinical trials where human lives are at stake?In this episode, Patrick Leung, CTO of Faro Health and former Google Duplex Engineering Lead, reveals how AI is transforming the clinical trial process — a process that can cost up to $2 billion per drug and take over 10 years to complete. Patrick reveals how Faro Health’s AI systems generate complex clinical documentation in minutes instead of months in which hallucinations aren’t acceptable, while navigating the strict regulatory requirements of the healthcare industry.Patrick also reflects on the evolution of AI technologies, the realities of large language models, and offers practical advice on how to thrive in the rapidly changing AI-driven era.Key topics discussed:The evolution of AI from image recognition and Google Duplex to LLMsHow Faro Health uses AI to transform clinical trial processThe challenges of applying AI in highly regulated industriesAI’s potential to save time and millions in clinical trialsHow to tackle AI hallucinations and ensure high-quality outputsPatrick’s thoughts on AGI and the future of AI beyond current capabilitiesThe viability and limitations of vibe codingStrategies and advice for individuals to thrive in the AI eraTimestamps:(00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:09) Career Turning Points(02:46) The Advancements of AI in the Past 10 Years(04:13) Non-LLM Types of AI(05:42) The Google Duplex(07:28) The Use of AI in Faro Health(09:44) Tackling AI Hallucination for Clinical Documents(12:25) Building the Evaluation Process on AI Results(14:28) AI as a Research Assistant(16:40) The Need of Building Custom AI Model(18:50) The Huge Impact of AI in Clinical Trials(21:15) The Regulations on Applying AI Technology(23:28) AI Success Stories in the Life Science Industry(25:16) The Possibility of AGI(28:36) The Path to AGI Using LLM(30:43) Actions People Should Take in the AI Era(35:48) AI Engineers and AI-Enabled Engineers(38:37) The Viability of Vibe Coding(41:03) Hiring AI Engineers(42:26) Important Engineer Attributes in the AI Era(44:23) Important Leader Attributes in the AI Era(46:59) The Room for Juniors in the AI Era(49:04) Inspirational Story of a Successful Junior(51:33) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____Patrick Leung’s BioPatrick Leung is a Chief Technology Officer at Faro Health, a company at the forefront of optimizing clinical trial development through the use of artificial intelligence.In his role, he is instrumental in applying large language models and other AI technologies to enhance protocol design and outcomes for clinical trials. A native of New Zealand, Mr. Leung holds degrees in Computer Science and Finance.His career includes being a foundational member of an early e-commerce software company, where he played a key role in guiding the company from its initial stages to a successful initial public offering.Follow Patrick:LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/puiwahTwitter – x.com/puiwahWebsite – farohealth.comLike this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/226.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

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• #225 - Driving Engineering Excellence with Platform Engineering and IDP - Ganesh Datta

  Is your engineering team running like the wild, wild west? What does engineering excellence look like in practice?In this episode, Ganesh Datta, co-founder and CTO of Cortex, explores what it takes to achieve engineering excellence. Ganesh shares lessons from his own journey, from early bug-fixing to building a company focused on engineering excellence.We discuss how platform engineering and internal developer platforms (IDPs) can help teams scale, improve reliability, and align with business outcomes. Ganesh also explains why culture, leadership, and clear metrics matter more than any single tool.If you’re looking to make your engineering team a true business driver, this conversation is for you.Key topics discussed:How to define engineering excellence and why it’s tied to business outcomes.The critical role of leadership in connecting engineering initiatives to business values.When to invest in platform engineering and internal developer platforms as your team grows.Common misconceptions about platform engineering.The importance of clear metrics, shared language, and transparency for continuous improvement.Building a culture that supports operational excellence through rituals and repeated messaging.Real-world examples of using generative AI to accelerate platform adoption and incident analysis.Timestamps:(00:00) Trailer & Intro(01:56) Career Turning Points(07:50) The Practice of Finding the Patterns in Issues(11:39) The Definition of Engineering Excellence(17:10) The Leader’s Role in Engineering Excellence(22:31) Aligning Engineering Excellence with the Business Outcomes(26:30) The Importance of Metrics in Engineering Excellence(33:35) The Culture that Drives Engineering Excellence(39:05) Platform Engineering and Internal Developer Platform(45:02) The Biggest Misconception of Platform Engineering or IDP(50:36) Cortex as an Engineering Excellence Platform(52:39) Generative AI Use Case in Platform Engineering(55:26) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____Ganesh Datta’s BioGanesh Datta is a Co-Founder & CTO of Cortex. Before co-founding Cortex, he was a Principal Software Engineer at Mission Lane where he was responsible for driving the development of real-time underwriting infrastructure. At LendUp, Ganesh was a Senior Software Engineer leading the development and optimization of the company’s decisioning infrastructure and financial account management system. Ganesh holds a bachelor of science in computer science from the University of California San Diego.Follow Ganesh:LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/gsdattaTwitter – x.com/gsdattaWebsite – www.cortex.ioEmail – [email protected] Ganesh & Cortex at IDPCon in NYC – ipdcon.comLike this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/225.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

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