Michael Jones: When Engineering and Business Miscommunicate

Michael Jones sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, systems engineering, and stakeholder communication. He leads multidisciplinary teams developing LLM-powered tools, researches AI hallucinations, and regularly helps decision makers understand complex technical trade-offs. In our conversation, we discuss where engineering and business teams miscommunicate, how misconceptions about AI affect leadership decisions, and what technical professionals can do to have greater influence in strategic discussions.

To learn more about Michael, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-jones-8aa77716/.

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Rob Kalwarowsky: When Technical Teams Meet Business Leaders

Rob Kalwarowsky is a former engineer whose journey from high achievement and burnout to human-centered leadership has shaped the way he helps executives, entrepreneurs, and elite performers lead more effectively. We'll discuss where technical and business teams miscommunicate, how technical professionals can communicate trade-offs and influence decisions, and why strong communication skills are essential for both individual and organizational success.

To learn more about Rob, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kalwarowsky/.

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Mark Castleberry: Technical Communication that Works

In this episode, I’m joined by Mark Castleberry, a Director of Enterprise Applications with more than two decades of experience leading HR technology, ERP, and cloud transformation programs across both consulting and industry roles. In our conversation, we explore where communication breaks down between technical teams and business stakeholders, how those gaps impact outcomes, and what strong technical communicators do differently when they present, translate trade-offs, and build alignment across mixed audiences.

To learn more about Mark, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdcastleberry/

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Kelly Schroeder: Communicating IT Tradeoffs With Confidence

Effective communication is critical for IT leaders who must bridge the gap between technical teams, executives, and stakeholders across the organization. In this episode, Kelly Schroeder shares lessons from leading large-scale technology transformations, guiding organizations through major change initiatives, and helping decision-makers understand the tradeoffs behind IT investments, cybersecurity, and digital transformation efforts. We also discuss storytelling, stakeholder buy-in, and why strong communication skills are essential for both IT leaders and the teams they lead.

To learn more about Kelly, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyrschroeder/

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Robert Monroe: Casting Engineering Stories in Steel

Cast in Steel is the competition where minds meet metal, as student teams from across the country take on the challenge of recreating George Washington’s sword through design, casting, and rigorous testing. Each week, they are pushed through a grueling qualifying round where creativity, engineering skill, and durability are tested, all while competing for a $25,000 grand prize and the title of Cast in Steel champion.

On the podcast I had Robert Monroe to talk about the origins of the series, how the storytelling approach came together, and what it revealed about how engineers communicate their work to the world.

To learn more about Cast in Steel, visit https://www.youtube.com/@CastinSteel

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Jigar Thakkar is a technology leader who has helped drive large-scale cloud, data, AI, and investment platform initiatives. We discuss where technical and business teams most often miscommunicate, how those misunderstandings affect leadership decisions, and what technical professionals can do to communicate trade-offs, influence strategy, and earn a stronger voice in business discussions.

To learn more about Jigar, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/jigart/.

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

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Nick Schmidt: Technical Communication that Drives Decisions

Nick Schmidt is a global entrepreneur, veteran, and technology leader who has scaled businesses across renewable energy, defense, aviation, manufacturing, and enterprise software. As a CTO, Nick has built high-performing teams and architected AI-driven and enterprise-scale systems that turn complex ideas into measurable business results. In our conversation, we explore the communication challenges between technical and business teams, how technical professionals can gain greater influence, and what organizations can do to help their technical talent become stronger communicators.

To learn more about Nick, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/oneguynick/ or https://geekyschmidt.com/

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

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Bob Hankins: Speaking Engineering to Business Leaders

Bob Hankins is Director of Engineering with more than 20 years of experience in engineering leadership, product development, and medical technology. Bob has built a career translating complex technical challenges into practical business outcomes while also serving in executive leadership roles, including interim Medical CTO. In our conversation, Bob shares insights on bridging communication gaps between engineering and business teams, explaining technical trade-offs to executives, balancing speed with sound engineering decisions, and helping engineers become more influential communicators.

To learn more about Bob, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/rthankins/.

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TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)

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