July 21, 2025

Announcing a New Direction - Staying Human with Tech

Hey there and welcome to our newcomers!

I wanted to share something I've been working on for people navigating challenges in their career..

Over the years, I've watched talented people get promoted into leadership roles and suddenly find themselves navigating unfamiliar terrain. The technical skills that got them noticed? Still important, but now they need to guide teams, manage up, and make decisions that affect others (oh, and still keep up with the tech). It can feel overwhelming.

I've been there myself. Early in my career, I learned that the hardest part of leadership isn't the technology or processes—it's developing the self-awareness to guide yourself before you can effectively guide others.

That's why I've launched a coaching practice focused on helping new leaders develop both the people skills and self-awareness they need to thrive. I work with folks who are feeling stuck or overwhelmed in their leadership career, helping them find their own path forward.

I'm including you in my community because your perspective matters to me. You'll get practical insights about leadership and career development that might be useful in your own work. And if this doesn't feel relevant right now, that's completely fine—you can unsubscribe anytime.

If you happen to know someone who's struggling with a new role (or finding one), I'd appreciate you keeping me in mind. Sometimes the best help comes from a conversation with someone who's navigated similar challenges.

Thanks for being part of this journey.

Mark

P.S. The new name for this newsletter, Staying Human with Tech, also reflects this new focus.  I’ll be sharing thoughts on leadership, career development, and finding your way through workplace challenges. I’ll also continue to talk about the changes to how we work: remote work, asynchronous work, artificial intelligence impacts, the post-agile era, and more. No fluff—just practical insights from someone who's learned a few things the hard way.