How to Leverage a Non-Technical Background in Engineering Leadership | Melissa DePuydt

In this episode, host Conor Bronsdon talks with Melissa DePuydt, Sr. Director of Engineering at Upstatement. Melissa discusses how her background in journalism has uniquely positioned her to excel in engineering leadership roles. She highlights how thinking like a journalist has enhanced her ability to lead engineering teams effectively, particularly in planning, risk management, and decision-making. The conversation covers the importance of preparing for disruptions, conducting pre-mortems to anticipate challenges, and incorporating broad perspectives for effective problem solving. Melissa also shares insights on continuously learning and adapting by embracing one"s unique background and experiences. Episode Highlights: 00:20 Why do engineering leaders need to think like journalists? 04:46 Preparing for disruptions as an engineering leader 08:44 How pre-mortems work in practice: an example from the Atlantic 12:47 How to get buy in from other leaders when changing processes 17:59 Eliciting buy-in from team members on pre-mortems 22:15 How do we train engineers to think in a team sport mentality? 26:51 Why is career switching a superpower? Show Notes:Melissa DePuydtUpstatement | A digital brand and product design studio Support the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a review Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever