S6E50 Brad & Aaron | The Case for Better Professional Communication

Being an Engineer · 12 Dec 2025 · 56m · Episode 50

What this episode covers

Host Aaron Moncur and his partner Brad Hirayama discuss the normalization of professional ghosting in engineering hiring and vendor relationships, citing Brad's recent job search experiences and Aaron's frustrations with unresponsive clients. They explore the breakdown of reciprocity and trust, the impact of generational differences in communication styles, and the stress caused by ambiguity in the modern workforce. The conversation concludes with practical advice on managing stress through action and a call to action for professionals to close the loop with candidates and vendors promptly.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Oxide and Friends · 1h 34m

    AI Discourse with Steve Klabnik

    Steve Klabnik, a software engineer and frequent guest, joins Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal to discuss his blog post 'I am disappointed in the AI discourse.' They explore the polarization of AI debates, the necessity of using tools like ChatGPT and Claude to form informed opinions, and the ethical distinctions between different use cases. The conversation also covers the technical evolution of AI interaction, including Model Context Protocol (MCP), and the shifting skills required for software engineers in an AI-augmented world.

  • Oxide and Friends · 1h 10m

    OpenAI's Boardroom Brawl

    Hosts Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal, joined by Steve Tuck and Chuck McManis, dissect the chaotic firing of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, analyzing the board's poor execution and the resulting organizational instability. The guests critique the termination letter's language, the lack of legal counsel, and the board's failure to secure buy-in from key stakeholders like Greg Brockman and Microsoft, leading to mass resignations. They use the OpenAI crisis as a case study for proper board governance, emphasizing the importance of independent directors, clear bylaws, and transparent communication between the board and the company.

  • The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast · 43m

    2024 christmas special

    Hosts Jeff Gable and Luca Eden reflect on three years of The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast, highlighting guests like Miro Slavic, John Odo, and Luca Mustafa who pushed specific technical and process boundaries. They discuss the disconnect between senior engineers seeking agile change and managers resistant to the hard work required for true transformation. The conversation emphasizes that successful embedded development requires breaking the 'Iron Triangle' of fixed scope, time, and budget by prioritizing core functionality and asking difficult questions about deadlines.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 26m

    Is This A Show?

    Chris Gammell and Dave Jones host Chris White and Alicia White of Embedded.fm to discuss the 256th episode milestone, the challenges of producing technical podcasts without visual aids, and the state of hardware conferences like Solid Con. The group debates the user experience of smartwatches, specifically the Pebble Time, focusing on the lack of out-of-the-box functionality and the industry trend of shipping incomplete firmware. They also touch on the importance of product management in ensuring quality and the frustrations engineers face when their technical concerns are ignored by management.

  • Oxide and Friends · 1h 44m

    Engineering Culture

    Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal of Oxide Computer Company discuss the nuances of establishing engineering culture, distinguishing between absolute principles and relative values. They analyze case studies from Meta, Twilio, Amazon, and Uber to illustrate how values like 'frugality' and 'urgency' can be misinterpreted or weaponized if not carefully defined. The speakers emphasize that culture must be established early through explicit hiring criteria and that changing an established culture is nearly impossible, making initial alignment critical.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Being an Engineer. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.