Leman Tech Leadership Podcast

▶︎ #137 | Rethinking 1:1s — From Status Updates to Real Conversations

Most 1:1 meetings in tech are glorified status updates. The manager asks what you worked on, you give a quick summary, maybe flag a blocker, and fifteen minutes disappear without anything meaningful happening. It's become a checkbox — a ritual with no real substance. And the frustrating part is that the 1:1 is actually the single most powerful leadership tool a manager has. It's just being used completely wrong.

The shift starts with a simple change in mindset: The 1:1 isn't for the manager to get updates. It's for the direct report to get support. That means asking "What's getting in your way?" instead of "What did you work on?" It means letting the other person own the agenda.

In this episode, we’re talking about how the effect of this change compounds over time. One good 1:1 doesn't transform a team, but twenty does. People who feel consistently heard make better decisions, flag problems earlier, and stay longer. The best leadership tools aren't the flashiest ones. They're the quietest — and a well-run 1:1 is proof of that. 

Join the Masterclass! https://masterclass.lemanskills.com/

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LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska
TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska
X: @lemanskills
Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp
www.lemanskills.com
Join Leadership Pulse! https://lemanskills.com/pulse/

▶︎ #136 | Entrepreneurship Transformation, Courage and Interior Design (!) in Leadership w/ Aga Olszewska @LeadAsU

Join your host, Aleksandra Lemańska, for an inspiring episode of the Leman Tech Leadership Podcast as she engages in a lively conversation with Aga Olszewska, an experienced HR and Sales Leader, Founder at LeadAsU, and podcast host of the Polish show "Lider(ka) na Dywaniku." In this episode, Aga shares her insights on the vital role of courage, authenticity, and humor in effective leadership, particularly within the tech industry.

The discussion delves into Aga's transformation into entrepreneurship, highlighting the lessons and stories from her early years that have shaped her leadership journey. Aga offers a unique perspective on leadership, comparing the mindset to a building's foundation, the skillset to its structure, and the toolset to its interior design. She emphasizes how leaders often use flashy new frameworks or tools to mask foundational issues.

Through Aga's experiences and wisdom, this episode provides valuable guidance for leaders seeking to cultivate authenticity and resilience in their approach. Whether you're leading a team or embarking on your entrepreneurial journey, Aga's insights offer a roadmap for building strong, genuine leadership foundations.


✔︎ Mentioned in the episode:

“Who Moved My Cheese? : An Amazing Way To Deal With Change In Your Work And In Your Life”

DDI Leadership Resources


✉︎ FOLLOW AGA ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @aga-olszewska/
LeadAsU: https://leadasu.com/
Lider(ka) na Dywaniku: https://open.spotify.com/show/09ImtJNXz14EZAw5PhS6BS?si=8b69a756879c4a58


✉︎ FOLLOW ME ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska
TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska
X: @lemanskills
Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp
www.lemanskills.com
Join Leadership Pulse! https://lemanskills.com/pulse/

▶︎ #135 | The Quiet Exodus: Why Mid-Level Talent is Silently Leaving Tech Teams

The people leaving technology teams aren't always the ones you'd expect. It's not just Juniors chasing better pay elsewhere or Seniors being poached by competitors. It's the middle — Engineers and Product Managers with three to eight years of experience who are quietly walking out the door with no dramatic exit. They're the engine of any tech organization, and most leadership teams won't notice they're gone until the damage is already done.

The reasons they leave almost never come down to salary. What drives mid-level talent away is a lack of autonomy, a feeling of being invisible, and the sense that their work doesn't connect to anything meaningful. Tech teams have a structural problem here: Massive investment goes into recruiting at the bottom and poaching at the top, but the people in between are often left without a clear growth path or genuine ownership of anything.

In this episode, we’re talking about easy solutions. Stay interviews — not exit interviews — can reveal what's actually driving people out before they leave. Transparent promotion criteria give people a reason to stay. And giving mid-level professionals real ownership of outcomes, not just tasks, sends a message that no compensation package can replicate: you matter here.

Join the Masterclass! https://masterclass.lemanskills.com/

✉︎ FOLLOW ME ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska
TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska
X: @lemanskills
Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp
www.lemanskills.com
Join Leadership Pulse! https://lemanskills.com/pulse/

▶︎ #134 | Fighting Founder's Burnout, Finding a Community and Investor's Tips w/ Jono Bacon, @ex-Github, @Stateshift

In this episode of the Leman Tech Leadership Podcast, I'm thrilled to sit down with Jono Bacon, an accomplished Entrepreneur, Investor, and Community Builder, currently serving as the CEO and Founder of Stateshift. Join me, your host Aleksandra Lemańska, as we explore Jono's remarkable journey, which began at the age of 19 and has been marked by continuous entrepreneurial learning.

We delve into the realities of the entrepreneurial path, discussing why it's not for everyone and what it truly takes to thrive in this challenging arena. Jono shares his experiences with anxiety and burnout, common struggles for Tech Founders, and offers insights on how to navigate these challenges effectively.

Our conversation also touches on the importance of community in personal and professional growth. Jono provides valuable advice on how to lead and select the right community to support your journey. Additionally, he reveals key considerations he makes as an investor when choosing projects to back, offering listeners a glimpse into the mind of a seasoned entrepreneur and investor.


✔︎ Mentioned in the episode:

“People Powered: How Communities Can Supercharge Your Business, Brand, and Teams”

“The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It―A Guide to Starting a Business in a Productive and Successful Way”


✉︎ FOLLOW JONO ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @jonobacon
Website: https://www.jonobacon.com/
X: https://x.com/jonobacon
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jonobacon


✉︎ FOLLOW ME ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska
TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska
X: @lemanskills
Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp
www.lemanskills.com

▶︎ #133 | Burnout is an Organizational Failure, Not a Personal One

For years, burnout has been treated as an individual problem — something to fix with a vacation or a meditation app. But the reality is far more uncomfortable: When an entire team burns out, the failure didn't start with them. It started at the top. The World Health Organization classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon, not a personal one, and that distinction changes everything about how we should be approaching it.

The warning signs are there long before anyone says "I'm burned out." Disengagement, a quiet drop in work quality, and the rise of quiet quitting are all signals that leadership should be reading — not waiting for an exit interview to hear. And when leaders visibly glorify hustle culture, they give implicit permission for the whole organization to silently unravel.

In this episode, we’re talking about how the fix isn't ping pong tables or free snacks. It's workload audits, protected time, and honest conversations about what's realistic. Burnout is expensive — replacing a burned-out employee costs two to three times their salary. But more importantly, it's preventable. And it starts with leaders deciding to see it as their responsibility, not someone else's.


Join the Masterclass! https://masterclass.lemanskills.com/

✉︎ FOLLOW ME ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska
TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska
X: @lemanskills
Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp
www.lemanskills.com
Join Leadership Pulse! https://lemanskills.com/pulse/

▶︎ #132 | Addressing Fear of AI Transformation and Burnout & Hiring Entrepreneurial Spirit w/ Shahrzad Rafati @RHEI

In this engaging episode of the Leman Tech Leadership Podcast, I have the pleasure of speaking with Shahrzad Rafati, the visionary Founder and CEO of RHEI. Join me, your host Aleksandra Lemańska, as we explore the profound impact of growing up in an entrepreneurial household on Shahrzad's career, inspiring her to make daring decisions and embrace innovation.

Our conversation delves into the critical role of creativity and storytelling in building meaningful and impactful products. Shahrzad shares her insights on how these elements are essential in crafting a compelling business narrative that resonates with audiences and stakeholders alike.

We also address the challenges of wearing multiple hats as a Founder and Leader, discussing strategies to prevent burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Shahrzad offers practical advice on how to navigate the fear of technology, particularly the transformative potential of AI, and how to embrace these changes confidently.

Additionally, we highlight the importance of recruiting individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit in your initial hires, emphasizing how this can lead to significant success as you embark on new business ventures.


✔︎ Mentioned in the episode:

“Good to Great: A Study of Management Strategies of Companies with Lasting Growth”

“The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World”


✉︎ FOLLOW SHARZAD ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @shahrzad
Website: https://rhei.com/
TEDx Vancouver Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HIxnTruN78


✉︎ FOLLOW ME ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska
TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska
X: @lemanskills
Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp
www.lemanskills.com

▶︎ #131 | How Much Does Poor Communication Cost You (Calculator Included!)

Poor communication isn't a soft-skills problem — it's a line-item budget disaster. It costs an average of 7.47 hours of lost productivity per employee per week, which for a 50-person team adds up to nearly $900K a year, before you even factor in turnover.

The math gets brutal when you stack the three cost categories together — lost productivity, employee replacement (50–200% of annual salary per person), and disengagement — and most Tech Leaders have never actually run these numbers for their own team. Unawareness and a lack of data are two of the worst things for them to have.

This episode gives you the exact calculator template to plug in your own team size and salaries and see your "Communication Tax" in under 10 minutes — because you can't fix what you haven't measured. Use another company’s example, so you don’t pay the price yourself.


Join the Masterclass! https://masterclass.lemanskills.com/

✉︎ FOLLOW ME ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska
TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska
X: @lemanskills
Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp
www.lemanskills.com
Join Leadership Pulse! https://lemanskills.com/pulse/

▶︎ #130 | Leading Leaders, Building Trust and Invest in Intentional Learning w/ Pranav Lal @ex-Slack, @Gusto, @Forbes Tech Council


In this insightful episode of the Leman Tech Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Pranav Lal, a seasoned enterprise architect and business technology strategist. Currently serving as the Head of Business Technology at Gusto and Senior Director of GTM Systems at OneTrust, Pranav is also a respected member of the Forbes Technology Council. Join me, your host Aleksandra Lemańska, as we dive into the critical aspects of scaling up teams and technology in today's fast-paced business environment.

Pranav shares his expertise on the nuances of leading leaders versus leading other team members, highlighting the distinct approaches required to inspire and guide those in leadership positions. We discuss the importance of instilling a strong "why" behind a team's efforts, emphasizing how this clarity and purpose can significantly build trust and drive collective success.

Our conversation also explores the transformative power of intentional continuous learning. Pranav explains how fostering a culture of deliberate learning can be a game-changer for teams, helping them stay ahead of the curve amidst constant change. Moreover, he emphasizes the importance of strengthening Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and focusing on practical solutions that teams can implement, regardless of the evolving landscape (including AI).


✔︎ Mentioned in the episode:

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

The Mel Robbins Podcast


✉︎ FOLLOW PRANAV ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @pranavl

✉︎ FOLLOW ME ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska
TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska
X: @lemanskills
Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp
www.lemanskills.com

▶︎ #129 | How to Measure the CQ Leadership Progress in... The Onboarding Phase

Join us for a quick yet powerful episode of the Leman Tech Leadership Podcast, hosted by Aleksandra Lemańska. In today’s episode, we focus on the onboarding process and the critical questions tech leaders should ask to measure their Communication Intelligence (CQ) Leadership progress.

Are you effectively tailoring your communication and onboarding strategies to meet the diverse needs of new joiners? Discover how contracting and customizing your approach can significantly enhance the onboarding experience. Aleksandra highlights key metrics and indicators that best reflect your growth and effectiveness during this crucial phase of the employee journey.

This episode is essential for tech leaders looking to optimize their onboarding process, stopping new joiners from leaving at the end of it, and strengthening their leadership impact. Tune in to learn how to ask the right questions and track your progress in creating a culturally intelligent and inclusive onboarding experience.

Join the Masterclass! https://masterclass.lemanskills.com/

✉︎ FOLLOW ME ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska
TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska
X: @lemanskills
Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp
www.lemanskills.com
Join Leadership Pulse! https://lemanskills.com/pulse/

▶︎ #128 | How Failures Don't Make YOU a Failure w/Colin MB Cooper

Join your host, Aleksandra Lemańska, for an enlightening episode of the Leman Tech Leadership Podcast as she engages in a captivating conversation with Colin MB Cooper, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Illuminate CX. In this episode, Colin shares how his early childhood curiosity about how things are built and work led him to become self-employed at the age of 19.

The discussion highlights the importance of curiosity and critical thinking, skills that are becoming increasingly rare in today's AI-focused world. Colin delves into the challenges of dealing with failure, emphasizing the need to shift our mindset from viewing failures as personal shortcomings to seeing them as opportunities for growth.

Through personal anecdotes and lessons learned, Colin reveals the experiences that have shaped him into the leader he is today. This episode provides valuable insights for anyone looking to harness curiosity and resilience to drive personal and professional success. Whether you're embarking on your leadership journey or seeking to refine your approach, Colin's experiences offer a roadmap for embracing challenges and cultivating a mindset of continuous improvement.


✔︎ Mentioned in the episode:

“The Anxious Generation”

“Go for No! Yes is the Destination, No is How You Get There”

“Eat That Frog!, Fourth Edition: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time”

“The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential”

✉︎ FOLLOW COLIN ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @colinmbcooper
Website: https://colinmbcooper.com/

✉︎ FOLLOW ME ON: ⤵︎
LinkedIn: @aleksandralemanska
TikTok: @aleksandra_lemanska
X: @lemanskills
Startup Community Poznan: @startup-community-poznan-scp
www.lemanskills.com