The End-to-End Engineer: How WorkOS Collapsed the Talent Stack for High-Velocity Execution, Ownership & Better Product Decisions w/ Michael Grinich

The End-to-End Engineer: How WorkOS Collapsed the Talent Stack for High-Velocity Execution, Ownership & Better Product Decisions w/ Michael Grinich

Author: The Engineering Leadership Community (ELC) August 5, 2025 Duration: 44:55
What if your engineering team didn’t just write code, but owned product discovery, wrote the launch messaging, and handled early sales? In this episode, Michael Grinich, CEO and founder of WorkOS, deconstructs their playbook for collapsing the product/engineering stack: no design leads, only one PM, and engineers who own product end-to-end. Michael breaks down how they teach product thinking, build with deep customer insight, and why his most important job is often to "cut scope." You’ll learn how to remove the "lossy translation layers" between teams, build a culture of curiosity and customer obsession, and ship higher-quality products, faster.

Stepping into a leadership role in software engineering often feels like being given a map with half the landmarks missing. The Engineering Leadership Podcast, from The Engineering Leadership Community (ELC), fills in those blanks with conversations that feel like honest advice from a trusted colleague. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a grounded exploration of the specific perspectives, daily habits, and real-world examples that define effective leadership in technology. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the actual challenges engineering managers and directors face, from navigating complex team dynamics and technical debt to fostering innovation and sustaining culture during rapid growth. By tuning in, you gain access to a collective wisdom that helps you evolve your own approach, moving beyond just managing projects to truly leading people. The podcast serves as the audio companion to a broader community dedicated to elevating the craft of leadership in tech, offering tangible insights you can apply long after the episode ends. It’s for anyone who believes that building great software is inseparable from building great, supportive teams.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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