Episode 501: Vibecoding CEO and doing to teaching

Episode 501: Vibecoding CEO and doing to teaching

Author: Jamison Dance and Dave Smith February 23, 2026 Duration: 29:17

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

  1. A listener named Derek asks,

    I am the CTO and cofounder of a startup. Now that vibecoding is a thing, our CEO has kind of gone rogue, and and he’s vibecoding a bunch of random stuff, one of which he bought a domain for and has pushed a potential customer to pay for, without talking to our team. I feel like this is fragmenting our focus, but I don’t want to ban our CEO from vibecoding and being creative. how should I handle this without damaging relationships?

  2. AdmiralFox asks,

    Hi Dave and Jamison!

    Longtime listener, first-time question asker here.

    After 14 years at a consultancy firm, I’m moving to a major retailer to become their Java Learning and Community Lead. Instead of shipping code, my new role will be shipping knowledge. I will be managing learning paths, organizing internal knowledge sharing events, and help managers screen candidates. Basically, I’m moving from a ‘Maker’ role to a ‘Multiplier’ role.

    I have 13 weeks of notice period (Standard European “I’m not leaving yet after 14 years” protocol) and I want to use my free evenings to prepare.

    My questions for you:

    How do I transition from “the guy with the technical answers” to “the guy who helps everyone else find the answers”?

    How can I use the remaining time of my notice period to prepare for the people side of this role?

    Love the show! Keep up the ‘quit-your-job’ advice coming (although I’ve already taken it!)


The weekly advice Soft Skills Engineering podcast, hosted by Jamison Dance and Dave Smith, operates on a simple but profound premise: writing excellent code is only one part of a successful career. The real challenges-and opportunities-often lie in everything else. This is a show dedicated entirely to the human side of software development. Each episode tackles the messy, complicated, and frequently unspoken questions that developers face daily. You’ll hear thoughtful discussions and practical advice on navigating office politics, having difficult conversations with managers, negotiating salaries, managing time and energy, collaborating effectively on a team, and building a sustainable, long-term career without burning out. It’s the crucial curriculum that most computer science degrees never cover. Jamison and Dave bring a blend of experience, empathy, and humor to these topics, offering perspectives that are both actionable and relatable. For anyone who has ever wondered how to handle a toxic coworker, get promoted, or simply find more fulfillment in their work, this podcast provides a much-needed forum. It’s a consistent source of guidance for the parts of the job that don’t involve a compiler, reminding listeners that their growth as a professional is inextricably linked to their growth as a communicator, a colleague, and a person. Tune in for honest conversations that go beyond the technical screen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Soft Skills Engineering
Podcast Episodes
Episode 495: What to do when my boss quits and moving to Romania? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:14
In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hello gentlemen, long-time listener here, and I’d love your take on something that’s been keeping me up at night. The high powered boss that I report to is someon…
Episode 494: Am I interviewing all wrong and leaving old team chats [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:02
In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Dear Damison and Javison, I work at a very small startup (<10 engineers) and am trying to hire 2 engineers. I’m doing the intro/screener interview for these roles…
Episode 493: My boss one-ups my negativity and football engineering [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:01
In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hey Guys, long time listener, first time asker! At my BigCorp Co., whenever I talk to my skip level about my concerns, it seems we are playing the ‘Gloom Olympics…
Episode 492: Fresh grads and startups or the goog [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:30
In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Listener AWS multi-region is not real multi-region, ask me how I know asks, We’ve recently acquired some bright-eyed and bushy-tailed new grads. What have you fou…