Most engineers know technical skill matters. Fewer understand that relationships are what create trust, visibility, and opportunity. In this episode, Steve and Jake break down why relationships are not “office politics” in the shallow sense. They are career infrastructure. Not theory, practical, tactical advice on how to build trust, communicate expectations, avoid unnecessary friction, and become the engineer people want to work with and advocate for.

Key Topics Covered
• Why technical skill alone does not create influence
• How poor communication destroys momentum across teams
• The difference between holding high standards and acting like a wrecking ball
• Why “why” questions often create defensiveness
• How “what” and “how” questions invite ownership and collaboration
• Why tone, timing, facial expression, and word choice matter more than engineers want to admit
• How perception impacts career mobility, opportunity, and trust
• Why relationships create behind-the-scenes advocacy
• How strong relationships help you move faster when opportunity appears
• Why giving more than you take builds long-term career capital

Actionable Steps
• Stop treating relationships as optional soft skills
• Enter meetings with the goal of alignment, not dominance
• Replace blame-based questions with problem-solving questions
• Ask “How can we get there?” instead of “Why didn’t this happen?”
• Communicate expectations clearly without attacking the person
• Acknowledge effort before pushing for the next level
• Pay attention to how your tone lands with different audiences
• Adapt your communication without abandoning your values
• Build trust before you need someone to go to bat for you
• Invest in people consistently, not only when you need something

Who This Episode Is For
• Early-career engineers who want to build influence fast
• Individual contributors who feel overlooked despite doing good work
• Engineers who struggle with cross-functional friction
• High performers who want more opportunity, visibility, and trust
• Future leaders who need to understand the human side of execution

Why It Matters
Your work matters, but your work does not speak loudly enough on its own. Opportunity often moves through people. Projects get assigned through trust. Reputations are shaped in rooms you are not in. If you want more responsibility, more impact, and more influence, you cannot stay isolated and expect the organization to notice. Build relationships before you need them.

Where to Listen
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
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Or wherever you get your podcasts

If this episode hit home, send it to someone. The Impactful Engineer grows by word of mouth, just like the best careers do.

Most engineers don’t fail because they lack technical ability. They fail because they walk into their first job with the wrong mindset. In this episode, Steve and Jake break down exactly what to do in your first 90 days after getting hired. Not theory, practical, tactical advice you can apply immediately to build momentum, earn trust, and separate yourself fast.

Key Topics Covered

• Why your degree doesn’t prepare you for real-world engineering
• The critical mistake new hires make by trying to change systems too early
• How to learn company systems and processes fast and actually use them
• The difference between learning your job vs. learning how the company operates
• How to identify expectations of your role and execute against them
• Why asking better questions accelerates your growth more than raw intelligence
• How to reverse-engineer success by studying high performers
• The truth about output: why volume of work matters early in your career
• Why effort and reps beat talent in your first year
• How failing fast early builds long-term leverage and confidence

Actionable Steps

• Spend your first 30 days learning systems, tools, and processes inside and out
• Ask for SOPs, documentation, and workflows. Study them aggressively
• Identify who owns what and how work actually flows through the company
• In days 30–60, define your role clearly and document expectations
• Ask high performers how they succeeded and look for patterns
• Build a “battle plan” for the skills that actually matter in your role
• Prioritize output. Do more work than expected and deliver it on time
• Ask questions constantly until things click. Don’t guess blindly
• Put in extra reps early, inside or outside work, to close the experience gap
• Fail quickly while stakes are low so you don’t fail when it matters

Who This Episode Is For

• New graduates about to start or just started their first engineering job
• Engineers in their first year who feel lost or overwhelmed
• High performers who want to accelerate their growth early
• Engineers tired of guessing and wanting a clear execution plan
• Anyone who wants to become indispensable, not just competent

Why It Matters

Your first 90 days set the tone for your reputation, your trajectory, and your opportunities. This is where trust is built, habits are formed, and momentum is created. If you show up with urgency, ownership, and output, you separate yourself fast. If you don’t, you blend in and fall behind. The gap compounds quickly.

Where to Listen

Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Or wherever you get your podcasts

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If this episode hit home, send it to someone. The Impactful Engineer grows by word of mouth, just like the best careers do.

Most engineers don’t struggle because of technical ability. They struggle because they never learn how to communicate, show presence, and lead conversations. In this episode, we bring back communication expert Salvatore Manzi to break down what it actually takes to be heard, trusted, and followed. Not theory, practical, tactical advice you can apply immediately to how you show up in meetings, conversations, and high-stakes moments.

Key Topics Covered
• Why technical skill alone will never make you influential
• The three pillars of communication: content, delivery, and presence
• What “presence” actually means and how to build it intentionally
• Confidence vs. command vs. trust and how they show up in the room
• Why engineers lose credibility when they guess instead of clarify
• The “Here’s what I know / Here’s what I don’t know” framework
• How to handle pressure, curveballs, and executive questioning
• Why most conflict comes from unspoken preferences and expectations
• The power of assuming positive intent and reframing conversations
• How to earn trust by aligning your actions with your values

Actionable Steps
• Practice “Here’s what I know / Here’s what I don’t know” in daily conversations
• Speak within the first 5 minutes of any meeting to establish presence
• Paraphrase what others say before responding to improve clarity and trust
• Pause intentionally when speaking to control pace and command attention
• Define your top 5 values and use them to guide decisions and behavior
• Enter conversations with a clear goal and a question you need answered
• Address conflict by identifying preferences instead of arguing positions
• Use “Oops, Ouch, Wow” to reset boundaries without escalating tension
• Reframe emotional reactions by assuming positive intent first
• Build repetition through low-stakes practice so it shows up under pressure

Who This Episode Is For
• Engineers who feel overlooked despite strong technical performance
• Early-career professionals who want to stand out and be taken seriously
• High performers struggling with communication or executive presence
• Engineers dealing with conflict, misalignment, or difficult conversations
• Anyone ready to move from individual contributor to leader

Why It Matters
You don’t get recognized for what you know. You get recognized for what you can communicate, influence, and execute. Presence drives visibility. Visibility drives trust. And trust is what creates real career growth. If you can’t lead the room, someone else will.

Where to Listen
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Or wherever you get your podcasts

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If this episode hit home, send it to someone. The Impactful Engineer grows by word of mouth, just like the best careers do.

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To learn the ins and outs of Salvatore's approach to clear and compelling communication, you can pre-order the re-release of his awesome book here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/clear-and-compelling-salvatore-manzi/1148510383?ean=9798895740347