April 07, 2025

Discovering the Deeper Layers of PowerShell with Jeff Hicks

46 minutes

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we’re joined by the legendary Jeff Hicks, PowerShell educator, author, speaker, and community pillar. With decades of experience shaping the PowerShell landscape, Jeff returns to the podcast to share insights from his latest projects, discuss the evolution of the community, and offer wisdom for both new and experienced PowerShell users. From PowerShell Summit to writing foundational books and building up new contributors, Jeff continues to play a critical role in shaping the PowerShell ecosystem.

Key topics in this episode include:

The human side of scripting – Writing PowerShell that is usable, flexible, and considerate of others' needs.

Behind the PowerShell Pipeline – Jeff’s new LeanPub book exploring deeper PowerShell principles.

Fundamental PowerShell commands – Get-Help, Get-Command, Get-Member, and why every PowerShell user should master them.

How to troubleshoot PowerShell like a pro – Why starting simple, verbose logging, and clear design make all the difference.

Reflections on PowerShell Summit – The importance of community, hallway conversations, and building the next wave of contributors.

Teaching as a path to mastery – Why giving back through mentorship, writing, and speaking strengthens both your skills and the community.

Jeff also shares his advice for nervous first-time speakers and attendees, and why being kind is one of the most impactful things you can do - both in and outside of tech.

Bio and Links:

Jeffery Hicks is an IT Pro veteran with 35 years of experience, much of it spent as an IT infrastructure professional specializing in Microsoft server technologies with an emphasis on automation and efficiency. He has been a Microsoft MVP since 2007 for his work in PowerShell.

Jeff is a respected and well-known author, teacher, and consultant. He has taught or presented PowerShell content and the benefits of automation to IT Pros worldwide since its inception. He has authored, co-authored, and edited several books, contributed to numerous online sites, and, back when it was still a thing, several print publications. Jeff is a Pluralsight author and a frequent speaker at technology conferences and user groups.

Check out all of Jeff's links and follow him here: https://jdhitsolutions.github.io/

Check out his book Behind the PowerShell Pipeline on LeanPub: https://leanpub.com/behind-the-pspipeline

Join PowerShell Wednesdays at 2 PM EST on discord.gg/pdq

Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn and share your PowerShell story: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewplatech/

The PowerShell Podcast: https://pdq.com/the-powershell-podcast

The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cdtxSI8Tq3E

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