In this episode of The Confident Commit, Rob Zuber sits down with Greg Foster, Co-Founder and CTO of Graphite, for a timely conversation about what it really means to ship software fast in the age of AI. Greg challenges the "996" grind culture with a provocative billboard campaign, arguing that speed comes from smart tooling and agency rather than endless hours, and shares how AI code generation is fundamentally reshaping the code review bottleneck while creating new trust and context challenges for engineering teams.

The conversation explores the paradox of our current moment—where developers can generate more code than ever, yet senior engineers wake up to 20 AI-generated PRs that still require careful human review. Greg discusses why companies like Google’s techniques for handling high volumes of code changes are suddenly relevant again, the emerging role of AI code review as a "super linter," and why he believes the best engineering cultures prioritize being "urgent, expert, and kind." Whether you're an engineering leader navigating the AI transformation or a developer trying to understand how code review needs to evolve, this episode delivers practical insights on maintaining quality and velocity as AI reshapes software delivery.

Have someone you'd like to hear on the show? Reach out and let us know on X at @CircleCI!

In this episode of The Confident Commit, Rob Zuber sits down with Johnny Austin, VP of Engineering at Upwell, for an honest conversation about what it really takes to grow as an engineering leader. The conversation explores the critical distinction between making your team happy versus setting them up for long-term success, why the most impactful engineers are those who ask questions about the business and product rather than just technical implementation details, and how to effectively communicate context across multiple levels of an organization. Whether you're an early-career engineer learning to think beyond the code or a leader working to build teams that drive real business value, this episode delivers practical wisdom grounded in real-world challenges.

Have someone you'd like to hear on the show? Reach out and let us know on X at @CircleCI!

In this episode of The Confident Commit, Rob Zuber sits down with Meg Adams, Senior Director of Engineering at The New York Times, for a deep dive into leading engineering teams through the AI revolution while staying true to organizational mission. Meg shares how the Times approaches AI adoption with a "measured but focused" strategy, emphasizing experimentation and opinion-formation over mandates, and why she believes AI serves as a force multiplier for what already exists in your organization and workflows.

The conversation explores the unique challenges of product engineering in media, from building cooking products for users across the entire spectrum of culinary expertise to navigating digital transformations that honor legacy while embracing an uncertain future. Meg discusses the importance of mission-driven leadership through technological transitions, why she prioritizes helping her engineers stay valuable in the marketplace, and her unconventional path from elementary education to retail management to engineering leadership. Whether you're an engineering leader managing AI adoption or someone thinking about the intersection of technology and human-centered products, this episode delivers insights on building resilient teams that can adapt while maintaining their core purpose.

Have someone you'd like to hear on the show? Reach out and let us know on X at @CircleCI!

In this episode of The Confident Commit, Rob Zuber sits down with Edreece Arghandiwal, CMO and Co-Founder of Oakland Roots Soccer Club, for an inspiring conversation about building purpose-driven organizations from the ground up. Edreece shares how the Roots challenged traditional sports business models by putting community first, turning a simple question—"Why isn't there professional soccer in Oakland?"—into a movement that raised $3.5 million from 6,000+ community investors with zero paid advertising.

The conversation explores the parallels between building tech products and sports organizations, from using merchandise as a "landing page" to prove market demand, to the critical importance of obsessing over customer-facing touchpoints while maintaining operational flexibility behind the scenes. Edreece discusses the challenges of scaling while preserving authentic brand identity, why purpose should lead to profit (not the other way around), and how hiring good humans with strong moral compasses becomes the foundation for sustainable growth. Whether you're a startup founder looking to build authentic community engagement or a leader working to maintain organizational purpose at scale, this episode delivers actionable insights on creating brands that people proudly represent in their daily lives.

Have someone you'd like to hear on the show? Reach out and let us know on X at @CircleCI!

In this episode of The Confident Commit, Rob Zuber sits down with Cate Huston, Engineering Director at DuckDuckGo and author of "The Engineering Leader," for a deep dive into career ownership and sustainable engineering leadership. Cate challenges the common misconception that career growth equals promotion, introducing the concept of being the "directly responsible individual" for your own career and the crucial difference between "buying" versus "renting" your skills in the marketplace.

The conversation explores how to shift engineering teams from a "ticket factory" mindset to outcome-focused delivery, the tension between servant leadership and strategic leadership, and why the best engineering cultures encourage productive disagreement. Whether you're an individual contributor looking to take ownership of your trajectory or a leader working to create environments where people thrive, this episode delivers actionable wisdom for engineering professionals at every level.

Have someone you’d like to hear on the show? Reach out and let us know on X at @CircleCI!

Engineering leadership has never been more challenging, or more critical. In this episode, Rob sits down with Pat Kua, seasoned technology leader, author of three books including Building Evolutionary Architectures, and creator of the popular Level Up newsletter for technical leaders.

Pat reveals how today's engineering leaders are navigating unprecedented industry turbulence: from AI disruption and talent shifts to economic uncertainty and constant organizational change. Drawing from his 20+ years coaching CTOs, VPs of Engineering, and emerging tech leads, he shares practical strategies for making decisions without perfect information and building resilient, adaptable teams.

Key insights include:

• Why embracing uncertainty is a defining leadership skill, not a weakness
• How to apply agile principles beyond code—from team structures to strategic decisions
• The critical importance of creating "forcing functions" that drive continuous learning
• Why exposure to high-performing teams transforms your entire worldview
• Practical approaches for leading through AI adoption and industry shifts

From small startups to global enterprises, Pat's guidance helps leaders focus on what they can control while building systems that thrive in constant change. Whether you're a first-time manager or seasoned executive, discover how to turn uncertainty into competitive advantage.

Have someone in mind you'd like to hear on the show? Let us know on X at @CircleCI!

Engineering leadership isn't just about technical execution—it's about unlocking the creative potential that drives individual and team success. CircleCI CTO Rob Zuber sits down with Corey Latislaw, Head of Engineering at Trainline and executive coaching expert, to explore how creativity transforms both careers and team dynamics.

Corey challenges the myth that creativity is just for artists, revealing how engineering workflows are fundamentally creative processes. Her "Ideas, Not Art" framework shows how visual communication, coaching techniques, and strategic problem-solving help engineers and leaders thrive. From sketch notes to systems thinking, discover practical approaches for building stronger teams and accelerating personal growth in engineering.

Have someone in mind you’d like to hear on the show? Let us know on X at @CircleCI!

Rob Zuber sits down with Tara Hernandez, VP of Developer Productivity at MongoDB and former Netscape engineer who helped create early continuous integration systems, to explore strategic frameworks for build vs. buy decisions in modern software delivery.

Hernandez shares insights from scaling MongoDB's proprietary CI system—processing 10 engineer years of compute daily—and reveals how organizations can evaluate when custom infrastructure drives competitive advantage versus when strategic partnerships accelerate growth. Her perspective on navigating the evolving landscape of CI/CD tooling offers actionable guidance for engineering leaders balancing innovation with operational efficiency.

Have someone in mind you'd like to hear on the show? Reach out to us on X at @CircleCI!

Speed isn't just about developer productivity—it's about market dominance. Rob sits down with Brian Guthrie, Director of Engineering at Justworks and former ThoughtWorks consultant, to explore why lead time from conception to production should be your organization's north star metric.

Brian challenges conventional CI/CD wisdom, arguing that asynchronous pull request processes create hidden context transfer costs that cripple time-to-market. His "Move Faster Manifesto" reveals how continuous integration was originally designed for speed, the real cost of feature branching versus trunk-based development, and why reducing integration problems translates directly to competitive advantage.

Have someone you'd like to hear on the show? Let us know on X at @CircleCI!

In this episode, Rob sits down with Ger McMahon, Head of ALM Tools and Platforms at Fidelity Investments, to explore the unique challenges of delivering software rapidly in a large enterprise. They dive into strategies for fostering innovation and effectively sharing ideas across diverse teams within the organization.

Ger highlights the delicate balance between building internal tools and creating customer-facing applications, emphasizing the critical role of keeping the customer at the center of decision-making. He also shares insights into why Fidelity prioritizes being a "technology company that delivers financial services," and how that mindset shapes their approach to software development.

Whether you’re part of a large organization or navigating the complexities of enterprise software delivery, this episode offers valuable perspectives and actionable ideas.

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