From Engineer to Leader I Justin Ryburn

From Engineer to Leader I Justin Ryburn

Author: Bill August 7, 2026 Duration: 54:20
Leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about continuous learning, building strong relationships, and helping others grow. In this episode of the 40% Better Podcast, Bill Lennan sits down with Justin Ryburn, Field CTO & Vice President, Global Solutions Engineering at Kentik, to discuss what it really takes to become an effective technology leader. Justin shares lessons from his leadership journey, the importance of a growth mindset, coaching high-performing teams, communicating with executives, and developing future leaders. Whether you're an engineering manager, tech lead, solutions architect, or aspiring leader, this conversation is packed with practical advice you can apply to your own career. In this episode: • How Justin Ryburn transitioned from technical expert to leadership • Why continuous learning is essential for every leader • Building relationships across teams and organizations • Coaching, mentoring, and developing future leaders • How to communicate technical ideas to executives and CFOs • Creating a culture of growth and ownership • Leadership lessons from successes and failures • Handling difficult conversations with empathy • Why great leaders focus on people first • Career growth in technology leadership Guest: Justin Ryburn Field CTO & Vice President, Global Solutions Engineering Kentik Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, technology, engineering management, career growth, and personal development. Connect with Justin Ryburn on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinryburn/ #Leadership #TechnologyLeadership #EngineeringLeadership #TechLeadership #Management #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerGrowth #GrowthMindset #EngineeringManager #CTO #SolutionsEngineering #Kentik #JustinRyburn #40PercentBetterPodcast #BillLennan I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Bill and the 40 % Better podcast team Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wblennan/ Visit the 40 Percent Better website here: https://40pb.com/ Listen to 40 % Better on these podcast platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qkqdMPkR9BqYPM7UPa4P0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/40%25-better---engineering-leadership/id1709546347 Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/01ad162e-7a33-4df4-8c29-04c4af0405fc/40-better---engineering-leadership #40PercentBetter #BillLennan #Leadership #TeamPerformance #EmployeeEngagement #PsychologicalSafety #BusinessGrowth #Kaizen #EngineeringLeadership #Coaching The 40% Better podcast with Bill Lennan unlocks previously unheard-of performance levels in teams and leaders. Bill Lennan, founder of 40 Percent Better, interviews experts on employee engagement, psychological safety, engineering leadership, and actionable mental models. Learn how to foster high-performing teams, improve team productivity, and achieve sustainable success in business through a focus on human-centered systems. #technologyleadership #productmanagement #engineeringleadership #leadershipdevelopment #careergrowth #podcast

Hosted by Bill, 40% Better-Engineering Leadership is a conversation for those who build and guide technical teams. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a practical dialogue focused on the tangible mechanics of morale, motivation, and output. Each episode features a single expert in employee engagement, and together we dissect the specific strategies that lead to measurable leaps in performance. You'll hear detailed explorations into what actually moves the needle for engineers and their managers, translating research and experience into actionable leadership techniques. The goal is straightforward: to provide the insights that can help your team operate at a significantly higher level of effectiveness and satisfaction. Tune in for a focused, deep-dive podcast that cuts through the noise of generic management advice, offering concrete ideas you can apply directly to the unique challenges of engineering leadership.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

40% Better - Engineering Leadership
Podcast Episodes
The Art of Technology Leadership I Anand B Narasimhan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:58
In this episode of the 40 Percent Better podcast, Bill Lennan sits down with Anand B Narasimhan, CTO at S-Docs, to explore technology leadership, communication, servant leadership, and the journey from hands-on engineeri…
Software Architecture, Optimizing People, and Writing Books [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:46
The world of technology is ever-evolving, and with it comes the need for effective leadership.In this episode we delve into the unexpected journey of leadership within the tech industry, highlighting insights from a rece…
Cybersecurity, Leadership, and the Power of People I Chase F. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:14
In this episode of the 40% Better Podcast, Bill Lennan sits down with Chase F., Chairperson of the National Privacy Council, to discuss leadership, cybersecurity, privacy, career growth, failure, and the importance of bu…
Technology leadership and building better teams I Zach Stein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:32
In this episode of the 40% Better Podcast, Bill Lennan sits down with Zach Stein, Director of Information Technology at RuffleButts®, to explore his leadership journey, the transition from individual contributor to techn…
The Power of Curiosity in Leadership I Dr. Debra Clary [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:03
In this episode of the 40% Better Podcast, Bill Lennan sits down with Dr. Debra Clary, Founder & Leadership Advisor at The Clary Group, to explore the powerful connection between curiosity, leadership, performance, and p…
Leadership Without Authority I Kevin Dias [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:52
In this episode of the 40% Better Podcast, Bill Lennan sits down with Kevin Dias, Founder of Ambiki, to explore leadership, remote teams, customer-driven product development, and the unexpected paths that lead to leaders…
Leadership Is Not About the Limelight I Jonathan Fullam [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:56
In this episode of the 40% Better Podcast, Bill Lennan sits down with Jonathan Fullam, VP of Customer Engineering at vCluster, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, team culture, employee motivation, and the hu…