Best Jonathan Cutrell Podcasts (2025)

1
Advice on Advice - Taking Everything with a Grain of Salt 13:54

21m ago13:54

13:54

This episode explores the complex landscape of receiving advice in your career, particularly during uncertain times. It offers insights on how to critically evaluate feedback and external information, prepare for potential negative outcomes outside of your control, and adapt your focus to thrive in a changing industry. Explore why the vast amount o…

1
Career Advice for Surviving AI Outsourcing 13:09

4d ago13:09

13:09

This episode addresses the fear surrounding industry changes, such as AI and potential outsourcing, and offers actionable advice for engineers, managers, and leaders to navigate these challenges. You'll learn why shifting your focus from just developing skills to embracing ownership and responsibility is crucial for long-term career resilience and …

1
Take Back Your Time - Volatility, Pliability, and Agency and Your Obligations.mp3 14:30

20d ago14:30

14:30

This episode provides tactical ways to own your time, reduce meeting load and obligations, and regain agency, especially when feeling burnt out. You'll learn how to use a simple two-part model focusing on Pliability and Volatility to evaluate your tasks and meetings and make intentional choices about how you spend your time. Learn how owning your t…

1
Iteration or Target State Planning 15:29

27d ago15:29

15:29

This episode explores the dichotomy between iterative planning and target state planning in software development, discussing the benefits and drawbacks of each approach and providing decision factors to help you choose the most appropriate method for your situation. Understand the core difference between iterative planning, which emphasises agility…

1
Three Principles of Preparedness - Mitigate Risks and Capitalize On Opportunities 15:02

1M ago15:02

15:02

This episode delves into practical principles for navigating the unexpected in your life and career. Rather than attempting to predict specific events, the focus is on cultivating resilience and optionality by identifying vulnerabilities in your systems and adopting a proactive mindset to transform potential challenges into strategic advantages. • …

1
Did I Get That Right? - A High Leverage Habit that Requires Virtually Zero Skill 13:28

1M ago13:28

13:28

This episode introduces a simple yet highly effective communication habit that can be adopted by anyone to significantly reduce the risk of misunderstandings and enhance connection. It explores how this practice, which requires thoughtful communication but no special skills, can benefit individuals at all career levels. Discover why misunderstandin…

1
Meta Models - Logarithmic Returns 12:08

2M ago12:08

12:08

This episode introduces a valuable meta-tool for understanding the generic shapes of models, focusing specifically on the concept of logarithmic relationships and how they manifest as diminishing returns in various aspects of our lives and work. Understanding these patterns can help us make more informed decisions about where to invest our time and…

1
Dimensional Reframing - Think Along a New Axis 12:57

2M ago12:57

12:57

This episode introduces the concept of dimensional reframing as a tool to gain new perspectives on problems and facilitate decision-making by considering a new dimension. • Learn how adding a new dimension to a problem can overcome limited perception and lead to new insights. • Discover how applying the dimension of time to bug management can help …

1
Chesterton's Fence - Why You Should Think Twice Before Rewriting That Project 8:50

2M ago8:50

8:50

This episode explores the concept of Chesterton's fence, a principle that advises against removing or altering something without first understanding its original purpose. • Understand the core message of Chesterton's fence: before getting rid of an existing system, process, or code, take the time to understand why it was put there in the first plac…

1
Reframing Areas of Growth to Your Manager 11:50

2M ago11:50

11:50

This episode discusses how to reframe areas of growth identified in performance reviews with your manager, turning potential weaknesses into strategic strengths. It emphasizes focusing on excelling in your existing strengths rather than spreading efforts thinly across all areas of improvement. Understand why it's misguided to immediately convert a …

1
Owning and Requesting Forward-Framed Feedback 9:12

3M ago9:12

9:12

This episode provides a tactical question to elicit useful feedback by taking responsibility for seeking it out and framing the request in a way that encourages advice rather than judgment. Understand that your manager giving you feedback is your responsibility, which means you should actively seek it out rather than waiting. Discover how a simple …

1
Work Modes Using Autonomy and Definition Clarity Quadrant - Manager Frameworks and Tools Series 16:06

3M ago16:06

16:06

This episode introduces a simple quadrant tool to visualise different working modes that a team or individual task might be in, based on levels of autonomy and definition. Understand how the quadrant is built using the X-axis of dependency (high to low) and the Y-axis of definition (high to low) to visualise different work modes. Explore how the bo…

1
Manager Frameworks and Models - Product Lifecycle Governance 13:52

3M ago13:52

13:52

This episode introduces product lifecycle governance, offering practical techniques for engineering managers to tackle challenges like backlog prioritisation and leadership misunderstandings, helping turn potential problems into strategic advantages. Uncover how to use product lifecycle governance to expose vulnerabilities in your product developme…

1
Philosophical Frameworks that Inform Your Decisions (Without You Even Knowing It) 24:51

3M ago24:51

24:51

This episode explores philosophical frameworks—ontology, teleology, and dynamism—to inform decision-making in uncertain situations, providing practical advice for applying these concepts in your professional and personal life. Understand how ontology, teleology, and dynamism can help you navigate conversations about future actions for teams, compan…

1
How Can You Prepare for High-Impact Unknown Events? 25:26

3M ago25:26

25:26

This episode includes practical techniques to prepare for the unexpected by identifying vulnerabilities and building resilience, using the "curse question" and the "assumption audit" to help you turn potential problems into strategic advantages. • Uncover how to use a "curse question" to expose vulnerabilities you didn't know you had, by imagining …

1
Misconceptions about Exceptions and Cultural Shifts - Invisible Inertia 23:37

4M ago23:37

23:37

In this episode, we discuss how invisible inertia can cause us to misinterpret our reality in work scenarios. • Discover why common misconceptions about behaviour are so difficult to spot. • Explore why your "unique" situation might be a common trap, a "uniqueness bias". • Learn how exceptional states can become the norm and impact your life. • Unc…

1
Action Orientation and Making Faster Decisions 25:48

4M ago25:48

25:48

Time-crunched and data-scarce? Learn how the RPD model can leverage expertise and intuition to speed up decision-making, and how the 'Rubicon' moment can make your team more action-oriented. Stop endless planning and start doing: Learn how understanding action phases can help your team move faster from discussion to delivery. • Is your team stuck i…

1
Match your Action to Intention - Pairing Five Whats with Five Whys 22:48

4M ago22:48

22:48

Use "What" to get more specific. Align actions with intentions for better time management. • Stop wasting time on autopilot. Discover the power of the Five Whats and start being intentional with your time. • Tired of vague labels? Ask yourself, "What am I actually doing?" to gain clarity over your activities. • Learn how to move beyond "focus time"…

1
Upgrade Your Resolutions 18:08

4M ago18:08

18:08

In today's episode, we're focusing on taking your resolutions and making them matter. I will give you two challenges in this episode to improve the quality and potential of success for your resolutions. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Wix Studio Devs, if you think website builders mean limited control—think again. With Wix Studio’s develope…

1
Ten Years of Developer Tea 8:40

5M ago8:40

8:40

Today, we celebrate 10 years of Developer Tea. I wouldn't be doing this podcast without you listening. Especially if you have been listening for many years, thank you! 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to b…

1
Better Low-Information Estimates - Putting the "Scientific" in SWAG 27:10

5M ago27:10

27:10

How can you create better scientific wild a** guesses when the work is not well defined? We discuss a few strategies in this episode. We also talk a bit about what an estimate is in the first place, and how it differs from a commitment / deadline. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Wix Studio Devs, if you think website builders mean limited co…

1
Agency - How The On Over In Model Can Help You Grow Your Career 13:11

5M ago13:11

13:11

Are you operating in the world, or are you working on a problem? This shift in agency can make all the difference in your career. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Wix Studio Devs, if you think website builders mean limited control—think again. With Wix Studio’s developer-first ecosystem you can spend less time on tedious tasks and more on th…

1
Using ChatGPT for Career Experience Simulations - LLMs and Direct Simulations for Faster Career Experience Gains 31:24

6M ago31:24

31:24

Can you use ChatGPT to become a better engineer? I'm not just talking about learning a language or fixing a bug with ChatGPT providing advice... I'm talking about career simulations. In this episode we discuss how the airline industry has fixed the problem of experience, and how we can learn from their insights to create low-stakes learning environ…

1
Coaching Yourself: Career Coaching Personas for Everyday Engineers, Part Three - Shoulder Socrates 16:05

6M ago16:05

16:05

In today's episode we discuss the concept of adopting self-coaching personas, and discuss the third persona, "Shoulder Socrates." 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Wix Studio Devs, if you think website builders mean limited control—think again. With Wix Studio’s developer-first ecosystem you can spend less time on tedious tasks and more on th…

1
Coaching Yourself: Career Coaching Personas for Everyday Engineers, Part Two - The Overoptimizer 21:47

6M ago21:47

21:47

In today's episode we discuss the concept of adopting self-coaching personas, and discuss the second persona, the over-optimizer. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Wix Studio Devs, if you think website builders mean limited control—think again. With Wix Studio’s developer-first ecosystem you can spend less time on tedious tasks and more on th…

1
Coaching Yourself: Career Coaching Personas for Everyday Engineers, Part One - The Available Manager 19:44

7M ago19:44

19:44

In today's episode we discuss the concept of adopting self-coaching personas, and discuss a critical first persona to start with. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Wix Studio Devs, if you think website builders mean limited control—think again. With Wix Studio’s developer-first ecosystem you can spend less time on tedious tasks and more on th…

1
The Highest Leverage Work You Do - Footing the Ladder 15:27

7M ago15:27

15:27

High-leverage work often comes in the simplest form of helping another person with their efforts. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome…

1
Prioritization is the Ultimate Skill 14:11

8M ago14:11

14:11

Learn to prioritize, and everything else falls into place. This is clarity through perspective and purpose. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-enginee…

1
Career Growth Comes From Finding Low Hanging Fruit in the Gaps 8:41

8M ago8:41

8:41

Your career growth will be directly correlated to your ability to solve critical unsolved problems in the gaps of your organization's problems. Focus on finding the problems that have a high chance of success for you specifically - the low hanging fruit. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you h…

1
How Culture Might Eat Your Values For Breakfast 14:01

9M ago14:01

14:01

In this episode we discuss the delineation between culture and values. What you allow is just as important as what you value. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Unblocked Your developers know how to write code. What they’re missing is the context to know what code to write. Unblocked gives engineering teams the answers they need to get their j…

1
The Tricky Parts of Merit Cycles 26:05

9M ago26:05

26:05

The blunt reality: Merit cycles are not how you build your earning power or career. They are a function of company culture and HR, and generally speaking are disconnected from your biggest opportunities for growth. So, where should you focus? That's what we talk about in today's episode. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Unblocked Your develo…

1
Limiting Factors - The Hidden Focus That Matters the Most 16:25

9M ago16:25

16:25

In today's episode we discuss focus, again. This time, through the lens of a few mental models that help us decide what is actually the right thing to focus on. You'll learn the real enemy of focus (note: it's not just distraction). 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Unblocked Your developers know how to write code. What they’re missing is the…

1
Improve Your Chances In Your Engineering Job Search Using the Scientific Method with Brian Pulliam 1:26:05

9M ago1:26:05

1:26:05

I'm joined today by Brian Pulliam. I've personally engaged Brian as a career coach. In this discussion we'll talk a bit about coaching, and about how you can set yourself up to become a much better candidate in your job search as an engineering leader. Values Exercise Live: Jonathan and Brian perform a live exercise, transforming company core value…

1
Improve Your Chances In Your Engineering Job Search Using the Scientific Method with Brian Pulliam 1:27:23

10M ago1:27:23

1:27:23

I'm joined today by Brian Pulliam. I've personally engaged Brian as a career coach. In this discussion we'll talk a bit about coaching, and about how you can set yourself up to become a much better candidate in your job search as an engineering leader. Introduction to Career Coaching: What is a career coach and how they differ from a manager or men…

1
Focus On Outcomes By Resetting Your Base 18:57

10M ago18:57

18:57

In this episode we talk about the concept of "resetting your base" - moving in a direction you don't necessarily want to go in order to achieve better outcomes in the long run. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Unblocked Your developers know how to write code. What they’re missing is the context to know what code to write. Unblocked gives eng…

1
Portraying Confidence in the Face of the Unknown 16:54

10M ago16:54

16:54

In today's episode we discuss how you might build your confidence without being disingenuous. This isn't a lesson in psychology or tricks - it's about building true confidence in what you do (and importantly, don't) know. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Unblocked Your developers know how to write code. What they’re missing is the context to…

1
Now, Next, Later, Never - A Simple Daily Framework for Managing Information and Prioritization 26:21

10M ago26:21

26:21

In today's episode, we'll discuss an absolutely simple structure for prioritization and information flow in your daily work. The flow relies on a basic text editor - that's it! 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Unblocked Your developers know how to write code. What they’re missing is the context to know what code to write. Unblocked gives eng…

1
Bias to Action As A Skill 12:49

11M ago12:49

12:49

You have seen "bias to action" on job requirements, but what does this really mean? Is it something that can be learned? Make sure you know the difference between this skill and a more automatic cognitive bias. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developert…

1
Managing Using Core Indicators of Team Outcomes 14:09

12M ago14:09

14:09

In this episode, we use the Start / Stop / Continue framework in a new way. As leaders, we should always know what outcome indicators a given discussion is based on. In this episode, we discuss the three core outcome indicators for managers to pay close attention to. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a questi…

1
Inverted Thinking As a Strategy To Combat Bias 6:40

1y ago6:40

6:40

In today's episode, we talk about inversion and inverted thinking. This is a mental model inspired by considering the "negative space" instead of the space occupied by the thing you are seeking. For example, if you are trying to avoid failure, you might intuitively seek a "successful strategy" instead of looking at the reasons it may fail directly.…

1
Talking To Yourself for Better One-On-Ones 10:58

1y ago10:58

10:58

In today's episode we discuss a preparation step for your next one-on-one. Don't just wing it - do your homework... and talk to yourself a little bit. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a sup…

1
Interview Prep: Two Counterintuitive Tips 21:58

1y ago21:58

21:58

In today's episode we'll discuss some counterintuitive advice for your interviews. This advice applies in interview settings, but also applies in 1-1 meetings as well. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Unblocked Unblocked provides helpful and accurate answers developers need to get jobs done. It tailors answers by augmenting your source code …

1
The Top Resumé Mistake I See, Plus the Best Resumé Advice I've Ever Received 18:10

1y ago18:10

18:10

After today's episode, your resumé is going to get better! In this episode I will share the biggest mistake and the best advice I've ever received about building a great resumé. This will take some work from you, but I hope you walk away from this episode feeling like you have the right mindset to improve your resumé drastically, and land more inte…

1
Prioritization Using Critical Path Thinking 13:56

1y ago13:56

13:56

In today's episode, we talk about the counterintuitive process of prioritizing based on critical path. This is not a novel concept that I've invented, but rather a revisiting of the classic discussion started by Eli Goldratt in his book "The Goal", and later in his book "Critical Path", based on the theory of constraints. 🙏 Today's Episode is Broug…

1
Cultural Antidotes - Clarity Isn't Just Honesty 13:57

1y ago13:57

13:57

The most common mistake for any manager is to fail to clarify. This often happens because we mistake our average communications for having perfect clarity, when in fact we most often don't communicate at high levels of clarity. This isn't because we are bad at communication, but rather because our social communications carry less consequence when t…

1
Demystifying Culture and Values 21:06

1y ago21:06

21:06

What does your culture have to do with your values? In this episode we open up the discussion about a model of thinking for culture and values to understand how they link, and more importantly, when they don't. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Unblocked Unblocked provides helpful and accurate answers developers need to get jobs done. It tail…

1
Principles of Work - Shorten Your Feedback Loops 18:07

1y ago18:07

18:07

Your feedback loops should be short enough that the cost of making a mistake is low enough that the value of the learning in the feedback loop exceeds the magnitude of the cost of a mistake. In other words: shorten your feedback loops to the point that you're no longer afraid to make a mistake. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Unblocked Unbl…

1
Principles of Work - Be Your Own Advocate 12:45

1y ago12:45

12:45

In this episode we discuss the importance of being your own advocate, and why this is likely the most rational position to hold. The takeaway: At any point, the person advocating the most for you is almost definitely YOU. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at:…

1
Practical Application of Information Theory 17:28

1y ago17:28

17:28

In this episode we discuss a practical application of information theory. Information theory is similar to the classic theory of communication, but distinct in important ways; these two theories together are a useful combo for creating a strategy for clarification. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Unblocked Unblocked provides helpful and acc…

1
Revisiting Core Working Principles - Hyperfixation on Measurements and Communication Degradation 19:00

1y ago19:00

19:00

In today's episode we talk about working principles again. Specifically, we're looking at a problem with measurement fixation, as well as the natural curve of degradation that most communication follows. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Jam.dev If you’re an engineer and you would rather spend your time writing code than responding to comment…

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