SMTC Corporation

Direct SDLC systems design and contributed to long-term technical vision, aligning architecture with strategic business goals. Champion digital transformation integrating legacy systems, enhancing ERP with AI-driven analytics. Implementing EDI for clients such as Tesla (and building their supercharger network) to improve supply chain efficiency. Applying Generative AI in CRM to automate sales processes and increase customer engagement. Custom interface development to improve end-user toolchain. Manage IT operations by implementing helpdesk change control board, data science, research, streamlining workflows, and deploying enterprise Power BI for real-time analytics. 

📊 	Deployed Qlik across the organization, enabling real-time analytics that supported strategic planning, enhanced resource allocation, and provided critical insights to over 10,000 users processing 150K monthly purchase orders (MS Dynamics, Accounts Payable, QuoteWin)
📈	Applied Generative AI to automate sales processes within CRM systems (Sales Force), leading to a significant increase in customer engagement and a 375% boost in productivity and improved on-time delivery rates by 88%.
🤖 	Managed the implementation of RPA (Automation Anywhere) across various operations, streamlining workflows, reducing errors by 85%, shortening purchase order lead times by 265 days, and saving $25M annually. 
🔄	Led the DevOps integration of legacy systems with custom .NET analytic reporting interfaces, significantly enhancing ERP/MES/MRP capabilities, improving demand forecasting accuracy to 99%, and reducing excess inventory by $380M. (Infor Fourth Shift, Kinaxis Rapid Response, Oracle Agile PLM, Oracle Cloud SCM, Epicor)

Senior Director of Software Engineering

Tsunami Tsolutions LLC.

Promoted from Senior Software Architect to lead aerospace and defense application development, driving innovation with Lockheed Martin and Boeing. Secured long-term contracts and expanded market share to accelerate growth and solidify industry presence. Developed predictive analytics for F35 JSF program that improved fleet readiness. Led cloud migration efforts, enhancing scalability, security, and cost efficiency. Overhauled processes by implementing agile methodologies that elevated customer satisfaction.

🌍	Achieved 80% renewal rates by ensuring FAA compliance and maintaining proactive communication, by building and maintaining strong client relationships with industry leaders.
📈	Developed advanced machine learning-based predictive analytics systems for the F35 JSF, improving fleet readiness by reducing aircraft downtime by 40% and enhancing maintenance precision by 60%, shifting the approach from reactive to proactive maintenance.
🧠	Directed the migration of aerospace and defense applications to Azure Gov cloud, utilizing .NET and Java for scalable, secure solutions, reducing software defects by 30% and accelerating time-to-market by 20%.
🏆	Spearheaded training and development programs (UPS, Amazon Air), increasing participation by 25% and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, by implementing change management strategies that elevated technical excellence and aligned client operations with industry best practices.
☁️	Architected and integrated complex systems using a variety of technologies (.NET, Java, Python), improving operational efficiency and compliance by implementing robust software solutions that reduced manual processes and enhanced system reliability across multiple aerospace platforms.
🤝	Secured long-term contracts and expanded market share through targeted technology solutions, driving 30% growth in the technology division and increasing recruitment by 40%, ultimately resulting in a $4.2M profit turnaround. (IFS Maintenix)

Senior Software Architect -> Director of Software Engineering

SimplyGranted

Revolutionizing the grant application process for non-profits was my mission at SimplyGranted. As the CTO and Co-Founder, I led the development of a user-friendly SaaS platform that simplified the complexities of grant acquisition. By integrating cutting-edge technology and intuitive design, I enabled non-profits to focus more on their missions and less on bureaucratic paperwork. My time at SimplyGranted was defined by innovation, strategic growth, and a relentless drive to empower non-profits with efficient, effective tools.

🛠️ Innovative Platform Development: Led the Agile development of a scalable grant search and application platform using Ruby on Rails. Personally architected key components to significantly reduce non-profit grant acquisition time.
💡 User-Centric Design: Focused on creating an intuitive, user-friendly platform that simplified the grant application process for non-profits. Achieved early adoption from users, providing a seamless experience that accommodated a high volume of monthly submissions.
📈 Strategic Growth: Secured a provisional patent for innovative grant matching technology, positioning the company for sustainable growth and protecting intellectual property.
🤝 Partnership & Integration: Led the technical integration of major grant databases, building a comprehensive platform that streamlined search and application processes for non-profit clients.
🌟 Team Leadership: Fostered a collaborative and innovative work environment, championing Agile methodologies to enable rapid iteration and feature refinement. Mentored a small but high-performing team to achieve significant milestones.
🚀 Market Impact: Successfully positioned SimplyGranted as a key player in the non-profit sector by providing a platform that drastically improved the grant application process, empowering organizations to focus more on their mission.

Software Architect/Co Founder/CTO

AdvisoryCloud

At Advisory Cloud, I served as a trusted advisor, guiding businesses through complex challenges and strategic transformations with a blend of experience and innovative thinking.

🧠 Expert Guidance: Provided strategic advice to businesses across various industries, helping them navigate through complex challenges and seize growth opportunities. Leveraged extensive experience to offer actionable insights and practical solutions.
🌍 Diverse Industry Experience: Worked with a wide range of clients, from booming startups to established enterprises, ensuring they received tailored strategies that addressed their unique needs and goals.
📈 Strategic Planning: Assisted companies in developing robust strategic plans, driving organizational growth, and optimizing operations. Focused on aligning business goals with technology-driven solutions for maximum impact.
🤝 Client Relationship Management: Built strong relationships with clients, becoming a trusted partner in their journey towards achieving business excellence. Demonstrated exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
🛠️ Problem Solving: Tackled a variety of business challenges, from operational inefficiencies to market expansion strategies. Applied Lean Six Sigma methodologies and deep IT knowledge to streamline processes and enhance productivity.
🚀 Innovation & Growth: Encouraged a culture of innovation within client organizations, helping them stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving market landscape. Offered fresh perspectives and creative solutions to drive business success.

Software Engineering Advisor

Kenpo Budokan Karate

At Kenpo Budokan Karate, I combined traditional martial arts with modern techniques to create a unique and engaging training experience for students of all levels.

🥋 Martial Arts Innovation: Developed a comprehensive martial arts program that blends American Kenpo’s lightning-fast combos with the solid stances of Shotokan, the flair of Taekwondo, and the mind-body mastery of Tai Chi. Integrated practical self-defense techniques from Krav Maga to ensure well-rounded training.
🌍 Global Reach: Established a dojo in bustling Tokyo, attracting students from diverse backgrounds and fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment. Offered both in-person and online training to accommodate students worldwide.
🧠 Holistic Training: Focused on providing a full-body and full-mind workout, emphasizing not only physical fitness and self-defense but also mental discipline and personal growth. Tailored classes to meet the individual goals of fitness buffs, self-defense enthusiasts, and aspiring martial artists.
📈 Program Development: Designed and implemented a variety of programs, from beginner classes to advanced black belt training. Created engaging and dynamic curriculums that kept students motivated and challenged.
🤝 Community Building: Built a strong sense of community within the dojo, encouraging students to support and learn from each other. Organized events, workshops, and competitions to foster camaraderie and showcase students' skills.
🎥 Virtual Training: Pioneered online martial arts training, allowing students to train remotely and access high-quality instruction from anywhere in the world. Customized virtual workouts to fit individual needs, ensuring effective and engaging training sessions.

Martial Arts Instructor

28 Consulting

At 28 Consulting, I catalyzed significant operational improvements and cost savings for leading manufacturing clients through process analysis, technology implementation, and Lean Six Sigma methodologies.

🛠️ Operational Excellence: Led transformative projects across multiple manufacturing clients, driving significant cost reductions and efficiency gains. Utilized Lean Six Sigma methodologies to dissect and optimize processes, ensuring streamlined operations and enhanced productivity.
📈 Technology Implementation: Spearheaded the successful implementation of advanced quality control software solutions and automation tools. Enhanced operational efficiency by integrating cutting-edge technology into existing workflows.
🌍 Client Impact: Worked with major industry players such as Henkel Manufacturing and International Paper, tailoring solutions to meet their unique needs and challenges. Demonstrated exceptional client relationship management, ensuring successful project outcomes and high client satisfaction.
🧠 Process Improvement: Designed and implemented impactful process changes that reduced waste and improved quality metrics. Empowered client teams through comprehensive training and mentorship, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
🚀 Lean Six Sigma Training: Delivered enterprise-wide Lean Six Sigma training, guiding teams through the principles and practices of process optimization. Developed and led workshops, equipping employees with the skills to identify and eliminate inefficiencies within their operations.
🤝 Strategic Consulting: Provided strategic consulting services that aligned technological implementations with business goals. Helped clients achieve operational excellence by combining deep technical expertise with strategic insights.

Senior Software Engineering Consultant

Live Music Tutor

Spearheaded Agile development of first-in-industry award-winning SaaS music training platform with 15 engineers on $750k budget. Directed user-centric design, simplifying grants and driving adoption. Secured funding positioning company as leader while building high-performing team and promoting rapid innovation. Engaged with experts to align platform with educators' needs, fostering dynamic learning community.

🎶	Led the rapid Agile development of a minimum viable product (MVP) in six months, with 1,000 users, through continuous user feedback, launching a scalable, cloud-based platform that supported real-time virtual music lessons. 
☁️	Architected a robust cloud-based solution using PHP, MySQL, and AWS Cloud to deliver high-quality, low-latency video and audio streaming, supporting seamless real-time media streaming for up to 32,000 concurrent users with 99.99% uptime and 23ms latency.
🌟	Expanded the engineering team from 3 to 15 members, fostering a high-performance culture centered on Agile methodologies, resulting in increased development velocity, and rapid iteration and enhancement of the platform.
📈	Secured $1.5M in angel funding by effectively demonstrating the platform's potential to investors, earning a Grammy Award for Digital Education Innovation, solidifying Live Music Tutor’s position as a leader in the educational technology space.
💡	Implemented a data-driven approach to platform optimization, leveraging user feedback to refine the product continuously, improving lesson completion rates to 96% and user satisfaction to 94%.

Head of Software Engineering

Atex

Managed Agile professional services for Polopoly Digital CMS and Salesforce, scaling teams and optimizing workflows. Developed and presented detailed training resources and strategic communication plans to drive effective change management. Facilitated adoption of new digital CMS processes by clients, ensuring smooth transition.

🌐	Managed the custom Java development and integration of Polopoly Digital CMS and Salesforce across the Americas legacy media content systems, scaling a distributed cross-functional team from 8 to 80 international engineers, optimizing workflows, and reducing onboarding time from 180 to 35 days.
🌍	Grew the client base by securing key account expansions such as  Viacom and Macmillian, driving a 32% increase in revenue within one year.
🏆	Led the migration of content management systems to the cloud, leveraging Azure for enhanced scalability and security, resulting in a 34% reduction in capital expenditures and improved content delivery speeds by 44.3%.
📈	Directed comprehensive training resources and strategic communication plans to facilitate the adoption of new digital CMS processes by clients, achieving a 92% adoption rate and reducing support inquiries by 53% post-implementation.
🤝	Managed a budget that tripled to $20M within a year, overseeing the expansion and optimization of software engineering operations. This budget growth supported the rapid scaling of the engineering team and the delivery of innovative solutions to global media clients.

Vice President of Software Engineering

Wall Street Associates

At Wall Street Associates, I played a pivotal role in ensuring business continuity and driving technology innovation, even in the face of significant challenges.

🌍 M&A Integration: Orchestrated the remote M&A integration of two companies following the 2011 Japanese earthquake, successfully migrating bespoke systems to SAP and restoring critical operations with remarkable speed.
💡 Disaster Recovery: Ensured business continuity after office evacuations due to the earthquake by spearheading the seamless transition of servers and restoring systems access quickly, minimizing operational downtime.
📈 Efficiency & Sales Enablement: Drove significant cost reduction and sales productivity gains by overseeing the integration of Salesforce, PeopleSoft, and JD Edwards with legacy systems. Enhanced operational efficiency and reduced maintenance costs substantially.
🧠 Agile Transformation: Led the adoption of Agile methodologies throughout the organization, implementing change management, quality control, and Lean/Six Sigma initiatives to drive operational efficiency. Earned industry certifications for quality and efficiency improvements.
📱 Mobile Workforce: Pioneered a mobile workforce strategy by deploying the iPhone enterprise platform, significantly reducing transportation costs and improving communication for a geographically dispersed team.
🤝 Strategic Leadership: Demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic planning skills, guiding the organization through a period of rapid change and ensuring the successful integration of technology solutions.

Senior VP of Information Technology Services

Ashley Associates

At Ashley Associates, I led strategic technological expansions within the competitive Japanese market, developing custom solutions and managing complex international projects.

🌐 SDLC Leadership: Led the full Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) for the development of innovative and highly customized CMS solutions for international clients entering the Japanese market. Ensured seamless navigation of cultural and regulatory complexities to accelerate market entry.
🌍 Global Team Management: Established an offshore development center in Cebu, scaling the team significantly to support business growth. Successfully managed a large, geographically dispersed team to deliver high-quality solutions and maintain operational excellence.
📈 Client Acquisition: Spearheaded business expansion by securing high-value clients, driving market entry for international companies, and ensuring strict compliance with local regulations. Developed a custom CMS that empowered clients to establish a strong digital presence in Japan.
💡 Compliance Expertise: Implemented key technical standards and achieved vital certifications (such as ISO), positioning the company as a trusted technology partner. Facilitated access to high-value contracts and enhanced client trust.
☁️ Infrastructure Deployment: Managed complex digital infrastructure deployments and server clusters across Southeast Asia, optimizing operations and delivering high-performing CMS solutions in diverse markets.
🤝 Strategic Partnerships: Built strong partnerships with international clients, understanding their needs and providing tailored solutions. Demonstrated exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills, driving client satisfaction and long-term relationships.

Software Architect/CTO

Hello! I'm Stephen Salaka, a Director of Software Engineering who transforms technology teams from Zeroes to Heroes by developing world-class solutions, software, and systems. How did I get here? Well, I was a coder and hands-on computer science guy who got thrust into leadership roles that needed some pretty serious chaos management. Over my two-decade journey in the tech industry, I’ve mastered the art of leading software engineering teams to new heights, turning intricate challenges into profitable opportunities.


🚀 Seasoned Leader: With extensive experience in pioneering data intelligence, software development, orchestrating large-scale system integrations, and harnessing AI to revolutionize business processes.

🛠️ Tech Innovator: Skilled in leading Agile transformations, integrating complex ERP, BI, and CRM systems, and deploying cutting-edge AI solutions.

🌍 Global Visionary: Successfully led IT operations and strategic transformations for Fortune 500 companies and developed award-winning SaaS platforms.

👥 Team Builder: Passionate about mentoring and developing top-tier talent, fostering a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement.

🎯 Strategic Thinker: Focused on research and leveraging technology to drive business growth, with a knack for problem-solving and delivering exceptional value.

💡 Relentless Innovator: Committed to excellence, always up for the challenge of turning intricate challenges into profitable opportunities.

TLDR: I’m a strategic thinker, a problem-solver, and a relentless innovator; who can elevate your tech game, drive digital transformation, and foster a culture of excellence.  Together, we can turn your toughest challenges into your greatest successes.

Let’s create something amazing!

Success Stories
🚀 Inefficient IT Operations: Led Agile transformation across 12 sites, boosting productivity and reducing triage overhead.

🔗 Disjointed Legacy Data Systems: Integrated ERP, MES, SCM, and CRM with data warehouses and Power BI, significantly improving data accuracy.

📈 Underutilized Predictive Analytics: Deployed machine learning for the F35 JSF program, significantly reducing downtime.

🎵 Lack of Scalable Architecture: Developed a scalable virtual music training platform, driving user engagement and earning industry recognition.

📚 Inefficient Client Workflows: Led Agile integration of CMS and Salesforce, optimizing workflows and significantly increasing the budget.

If you're ready to transform your tech landscape and achieve unparalleled success, let's connect and make it happen!

Fifty years of software evolution: mainframes to AI. One thing hasn't changed... we're still terrible at mind reading what users actually need.

Long ago, software development was mythical.
It lived in the sacred halls of IBM, Bell Labs, and Hewlett Packard.

During the workstation revolution, most organizations hired "computer operators" who sat in finance departments, running software someone else built.

One day, late at night, John was entering formulas when a spider bit his wrist. 
He slammed the keyboard... CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-F12... and suddenly the admin panel opened like some digital portal. 
Now he could bend software to his will.

He tried keeping it quiet, but Jan from finance caught him red-handed, making spreadsheets dance.
She discovered she didn't have to wrestle with VisiCalc anymore. 
She could walk over to John and his ragtag crew of proto-programmers, and a few days later...
A shiny new tool that did what she thought she wanted.
But something was still off.

Jump forward to the 1990s, John became one of the first CTOs. 
He now had process. 
Had systems.

But we still had one impossible task: mind reading.

Jan's reports were never quite right. 
Every new version we delivered... something was always missing. 
Always.

So we took folks from operations and made them project managers. 
They brought their manufacturing mindset. 
Roadmaps. 
Milestones. 
Six-month release cycles.

Now instead of waiting a week, Jan waited six months. 
But first, she had to define exactly what she wanted.

Try as she might, Jan could never really articulate that.
Every six months: release. 
Every six months: "That's not what I meant."

We knew we'd never satisfy Jan's appetite for requirements she couldn't define. 
So we got Agile. 
Shortened cycles.

Two-week sprints meant we were never far from Jan's feedback. 
We could pivot. React.
Still wasn't enough.

No-Code came and went. 
Now we have AI.
Two weeks became twenty minutes.

And Jan? Now a CFO, she's still here, screaming it's not right.

Software development will always have more requirements than resources. 
With AI, we're churning out more slop than ever. 
The very people requesting features can't handle the flood of deliverables they need to evaluate.

And what are companies doing? 
Getting rid of the software developers.

Instead of using our AI-powered bandwidth to sit with Jan.
To do the Business Analyst work and understand what she actually needs... Companies are doing the same old thing.
Now with 1/3 with fewer resources.

AI isn't delivering value. 
It's just shifting the burden back where it always was.
Mind reading. 

Something AI still hasn't cracked.
Maybe we should let "we've always done it this way" finally die.

And start working smarter.

The requirements will keep coming. 
Jan will keep changing her mind.

But perhaps that's not the problem we need to solve.

Stephen Salaka

VP of Software Engineering‍︎ | Solutioneer‍︎ | Driving AI-Powered Transformation‍︎ | ERP & Cloud Strategist‍︎ | Java, .NET, Python‍︎

When does "improving" your resume become the very thing sabotaging your job search? Somewhere long before version 42.

I've got more problems in my job search than overdue bills. 
And trust me… 
that's saying something.

Look, I know I'm not the perfect candidate. 
Got my flaws like everyone else. But when you fire off 2,000+ applications over two years and walk away with nothing but rescinded offers? 

Something's broken.

Why are the only roles landing in my inbox equity-only startups and volunteer gigs?

So I did what any rational person does. 
Took my resume to the cleaners.
Professional writers dissecting every bullet point. 
Peers offering feedback. 
Even jumped on those generous #OpenToWork resume reviews from awesome folks here on LinkedIn.

At first it was like a miracle - solid, actionable changes that made a difference in response rates.

Each tweak felt like progress. 
Right?

At some point everyone started agreeing it had great bones. 
Actionable results, solid metrics… like a Chicago hot dog loaded with all the fixings.

"Change this metric to flight hours."
"Actually, make it flight minutes."
"Nobody cares about flight ops—focus on maintenance crew."

Eventually you realize you've face-planted into a brick wall. 
And you're just now noticing the blood.

What started with "I get shit done" 
Transformed into
"I'm a VP of software engineering, the Solutioneer who doesn't just ship software: I build engines for growth, regardless of industry complexities."

That took months.

But then the feedback shifted: 
"Spell out Node Package Manager instead of NPM."

Those hyper-optimizations? 
They're doing nothing but breeding frustration.

You can nail everything. 
Perfect resume, killer network, smooth interview skills.
The whole package.

But if you're not in the right place at the right time?
None of it matters.

We can control our actions, including making a million resume tweaks. 
But if we spiral into this over optimization cycle, all we'll have to show for it is burnout.

Yes, show your value. 
Speak to the unique problems in those job descriptions.
But no, you most likely don't need yet another resume rewrite.

While tweaking feels productive… focus on what actually moves the needle.

Networking. 
Getting yourself in front of as many people as possible.

Stop overfitting. 
Start connecting.

#TechLeadership #JobSearch #CareerAdvice #Networking

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Warner Bros. Discovery just sued Midjourney for generating Batman images. But here's the kicker... they can't actually copyright Batman's "style."

You can't patent just an idea. 
You can't trademark a common phrase. 
And you sure as heck can't copyright a style.

Everything else, that's where the murk begins.

Let's say you're an artistic savant - enough to copy anything from memory. 
Think human, scanner, printer. All in one.
You're also a licensed ham and love seeing it represented in Elio and decide to paint that radio scene. 
Easel in hand, oils out, and boom... you've got an exact replica of that Elecraft radio.
Your friend loves it, snaps a pic, posts it online.

A week later? Angry The Walt Disney Company lawyers.
So you change the Elecraft to a KENWOOD. 
Elio's brown hair becomes black.
It's like you got the garlic out and the lawyers retreat muttering "fair use" under their breath.

The bottom line: exact replicas pay for lawyer lunches.
In the past, copying meant Xerox machines, scanners, maybe even Adobe Photoshop if you were ambitious. 
Most people aren't, so forgeries were easy to spot... they were exact copies.
And most folks lack the artistic chops to create anything "inspired by."

But then, along comes AI.
It's not making exact copies. 
But it's letting anyone with WiFi create things "in the likeness of." 
Overnight we went from "imitation is the best form of flattery" 
To "OMG stop with the Ghibli pictures."

And copyright can't touch it.
Because it's not a replica. 
It's inspiration. 
And remember, you can't patent a style.

There's no easy fix either. 
Unless the WB lawyers can prove the training images/videos were obtained illegally (e.g. pirated), there's no legal ground. 
AI isn't directly copying... it's just coming extremely close.

So why not change the law?
Because, if we change the law to protect styles and likenesses, where does that end? 
Does fan fiction become illegal? 
Do cosplayers need licenses?
Should we re-copyright Frankenstein since all sci-fi could be considered "inspired by" it?
Lawyers would love it. 
But no one would make anything creative any more because everyone would be suing everyone else for thinking at each other.

The solution?
The bitter truth might be that we just need to accept this seismic shift. 
Creative output got democratized whether we like it or not.
And we've got to learn to figure out a better way to monetize our art in the age where anyone can be "inspired" by your ideas and make them better.

Maybe we need to shift copyrights into NFTs or something.

If you thought it was bad when folks steal your LinkedIn posts (and get tons more engagement without so much as a call back)...

Welcome to the new reality.

#AI #Copyright #TechLeadership #SoftwareDevelopment #Innovation

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Six months ago your company laid off half the team betting on AI magic. Plot twist: turns out you still need humans for the actual work.


AI is like that CEO on the wild company retreat to Bali.
Everyone's three drinks deep, the karaoke machine comes out, and suddenly the boss is firing half the team between renditions of Don't Stop Believin'.
Then Monday rolls around. 
Awkward apology emails. 
Desperate rehiring. 
Lots of PR cleanup.

That's AI in the marketplace right now.

Think back to when cars first hit the scene? 
"Cars are coming for your horse-and-buggy-whip jobs!" 
Sound familiar?

Here's the thing… cars weren't stealing jobs. 
They were killing demand for buggy whips. 
So those companies pivoted. 
Started making steering wheels and seat cushions instead.
The job title "buggy whip maker" disappeared, sure. 
But those folks? 
Still working. 
Still building things. 
Just different things.
(PS - there are still horse and buggy whip makers out there to this day).

Same story in 2025.

AI mythicists like Sam Altman talk a massive game. 
Companies buy the hype and slash headcount, banking on magical automation that's "totally coming soon."
Then GPT-5 drops and… surprise. 
AI isn't quite the wizard behind the curtain we thought.
Billions spent and "not-Billions" to show for it.
Suddenly those "redundant resources" look pretty valuable again.

But here's what's actually happening. 
Unlike the buggies to car transition, we're not replacing old tech with shiny new tech. 
Those OpEx reports? 
Still need doing. 
Maybe there's an AI agent helping.
But someone's still reading the numbers and explaining them to the SEC.

Some processes get automated, yeah. 
Fewer people needed for the purely manual stuff. 
But the work isn't vanishing… it's shifting.
Instead of being overworked writing reports, you now have extra resources to tackle some of your other pressing issues.

Developers are still developing. 
Still wrestling with vague requirements and scope creep. 
AI hasn't solved that particular nightmare.

Content writers are still writing. 
Still fighting editors over comma placement and brand voice. 
AI can't win that battle either.

Only difference? 
Now we've got shinier tools. 
Tools that let us tackle bigger problems, create more value, maybe even enjoy the work a little more.

The buggy whip makers adapted. 
So will we.

#AI #TechLeadership #FutureOfWork #SoftwareDevelopment #Leadership

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The most helpful thing you can do for your team? Start saying no. Sounds backwards, but 95% of those "urgent fires" disappear when you do this.

"Just grab some time on my calendar and we'll catch up."

You hang up. 
Frustrated. 
That call yanked you straight out of your coding flow state, and now you're staring at half-finished code like it's written in Eldritch runes.

There goes your afternoon. 
No chance that PR is getting submitted by the end of the day now.

Look, we want to help. 
We're wired to be polite, to not ruffle feathers. 
But all that politeness? 
It's killing our productivity one "touch base" at a time.

Your calendar fills up with meetings that could've been solved with thirty more seconds on that phone call. 

Or… wild thought… an email.

Here's your escape plan:

1. Learn to say no. Not "no" to be difficult, but "no" as a discussion tool. Force them to articulate what they actually need. Half the time, they don't even know.

2. Demand an agenda. No agenda? No meeting. Watch how fast "quick catch up" becomes "I need project status for the CEO report." Much more honest, right?

3. Question everything upfront. Got that agenda? Great. Fire off your questions via email. Provide your input on paper. Let the asynchronous magic happen.

4. Have the meeting… maybe. Funny thing happens when people get what they need through steps 1-3. About 95% of those meetings just… vanish. The remaining 5%? Those are the ones that matter.

5. Stay consistent. That one "quick question" becomes two, then four. Before you know it, you're calendar gets an INT32 overflow, and all that hard work gets reverted.


Don't get me wrong. 
Workplace relationships matter. 
The human stuff is vital to your career whether you like it or not.

But your time has value. 
And sitting in meetings for the sake of meetings wastes everyone's time… including theirs.

Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is protect your calendar. 
Your future self will thank you.

#Leadership #ProductivityHacks #TechLeadership #SoftwareDevelopment #TimeManagement


🧃 Join the tribe. We’ve got juice boxes, job market scars, AI-induced existential dread, and real talk about tech leadership. Follow for rants, riffs, and the occasional roadmap out of the chaos.

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