S7E10 Daniel Gledhill | How to Win at People-Centered Leadership in Engineering Teams

Being an Engineer · 6 Mar 2026 · 55m · Episode 10

What this episode covers

Daniel Gledhill, a senior engineering leader at Edwards Lifesciences, discusses his transition from heavy industry at Rio Tinto to medical device manufacturing, focusing on transcatheter heart valve delivery systems. He explains how his teams navigate the high-stakes regulatory environment by fostering creativity within validation boundaries and eliminating tribal knowledge through robust documentation. Gledhill emphasizes people-centered leadership, detailing how he coaches engineers to shift from solving problems themselves to facilitating solutions through questioning and removing administrative obstacles.

Mentioned

Companies
Edwards Lifesciences, Rio Tinto, Pipeline Design & Engineering
Products
transcatheter heart valve

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 38m

    Creating Manufacturing Environments Where Engineers Can Thrive w/ Josh Tarbutton

    Josh Tarbutton, Chairman and Chief Innovator of Bravo Team, discusses creating engineering cultures that foster innovation by balancing autonomy with trust. He explains how his background in the Army and academia shaped his leadership philosophy, emphasizing the need to support engineers with clear objectives and resources rather than micromanagement. Tarbutton highlights the critical disconnect between sales and engineering, advocating for early engineer involvement in scoping to prevent unrealistic expectations and burnout. He also warns against the long-term costs of under-investing in capital infrastructure and talent, arguing that fear-driven leadership stifles the creativity necessary for manufacturing competitiveness.

  • Global Medical Device Podcast · 45m

    Building a Culture of Quality

    Dan Purvis, CEO and co-founder of Velentium, discusses building a quality-centric culture in medical device engineering that moves beyond mere regulatory compliance. He outlines a 'three-legged stool' model integrating people, business, and quality, emphasizing that true quality aligns with risk and safety rather than just adherence to standards. Purvis shares insights on hiring for teachability, fostering high-performance teams, and the importance of proactive preventive actions in quality management systems.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 1h 00m

    Educating the Engineer of the Future with Dr. Kris Ropella

    Dr. Kris Ropella, Dean of the Opus College of Engineering at Marquette University, discusses the evolution of engineering education to produce creative, diverse, and ethical leaders rather than just technical experts. She highlights the E-Lead program, which teaches leadership and innovation to undergraduate students, and emphasizes the importance of integrating business acumen and customer-centric design into the curriculum. Ropella shares anecdotes about student projects, such as designing women's steel-toed shoes, to illustrate the need for manufacturability and real-world problem solving. The conversation also covers her personal approach to leadership, drawing parallels between ballroom dancing and engineering creativity, and the shift toward servant leadership in modern organizations.

  • How Soft Skills Drive High-Impact Engineering Teams w/ Aaron Moncur

    Aaron Moncur, founder of Pipeline Design & Engineering, discusses how soft skills like communication and psychological safety drive high-performing engineering teams. He shares specific management strategies, such as 'managing by invitation' and removing bureaucratic barriers to accelerate engineering speed, including the strategic use of 3D printing. Moncur also highlights the evolving landscape of engineering education, promoting his platform The Wave and the PDX expo as alternatives to traditional degree requirements.

  • Global Medical Device Podcast · 26m

    #452: Switching Careers to MedTech: A Practical Guide for Engineers and Professionals

    Etienne Nichols, a former aerospace engineer turned MedTech professional, explains how engineers and quality professionals from automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing can transition into the medical device industry. He outlines three primary entry points—Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Product Development—and emphasizes that while technical skills like root cause analysis and project management transfer well, the mindset must shift from 'move fast and break things' to rigorous documentation and risk management. Nichols provides a five-step roadmap for career switchers, including learning regulatory language, obtaining targeted certifications, and networking with intention, before concluding that long-term career growth requires mastering the 'layer above competence': communication, visibility, and storytelling.

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.