How I handle conflict with senior leaders without burning bridges
A simple structure I use when I need to push back on a VP or director: how I prepare, phrases I use, and how I protect the relationship.
Notes from the rooms where decisions actually get made: navigating egos, leading teams, saying the hard thing kindly, and staying sane while you climb.
A simple structure I use when I need to push back on a VP or director: how I prepare, phrases I use, and how I protect the relationship.
The agenda, questions, and follow-up pattern I use to move engineers from “stuck and defensive” to “curious and accountable”.
A story about a “calm” stand-up that hid real tension, and how one direct but gentle question changed the entire release.
How I handled a senior engineer who challenged every decision in public — without shutting him down or giving him the steering wheel.
Short lines for when someone takes credit, throws you under the bus, or tries to drag you into drama you didn’t ask for.
My simple framework for declining new projects while still sounding like a team player who understands the bigger picture.