January 3, 2023

Top 5 Podcasts for Engineering Managers

By Casey Higgins

As an engineering manager, it can be difficult to find information and advice on how to succeed in your role.

There are countless books, blogs, and online guides out there that can help you become a better leader — but sometimes you just want some guidance from an expert who has been in your shoes before.

Podcasts are a great place to find those folks. There are shows that focus on everything from tackling management challenges to finding the right technical talent. Best of all, you can listen while you’re commuting, working out, or doing chores around the house.

So where should you start? Here are five of the best engineering manager podcasts in 2023.

Check out these engineering leadership podcasts

1. ELC Podcast

The Engineering Leadership Podcast is full of actionable advice for software engineering managers at all levels. Listen to key insights from industry leaders as they share their wisdom about how you can lead your engineering team more effectively in today’s competitive market. Popular topics include transforming conflict into collaboration, enhancing belonging in employees, and finding your “flow” in engineering management.

2. Dev Interrupted

Next up on our list is Dev Interrupted, a weekly podcast made exclusively for dev leaders. Host Dan Lines invites software engineers from around the world to explore strategy and day-to-day topics like what metrics you should be watching and how you can accelerate delivery on projects. You’ll hear from project managers, senior engineering leaders, and other technical people managing teams.

3. Level-Up Engineering Stories

Want to take your developer team to the next level? The Engineering Management Podcast reveals management secrets from some of the most successful tech leaders, like Zoe Sobin (Senior EM at HubSpot) and Maura Kelly (VP of Engineering at Mailchimp.) Tune into new episodes to hear how your fellow engineering managers navigated their way to the top.

4. Effective Engineering Manager Podcast

On Effective Engineering Manager, Adam Axelrod and Slava Imeshev bring insights gained from over 25 years of combined engineering management experience in the field. There are episodes with tips for project management, managing horizontally across different departments, establishing an effective software development lifecycle, and more. If you want to learn from the best, this is the show for you.

5. Scaling Software Teams

Last (but definitely not least) is Woven’s very own Scaling Software Teams. Our podcast aims to help new engineering managers navigate fast growth without losing the magic that made that growth possible. Hosted by Founder/CEO Wes Winham Winler, you’ll find interesting stories from high-growth business leaders about hiring developers, structuring teams, scaling collaboration, and managing managers. Give it a listen!

Other resources for engineering leaders

Maybe you’re a new manager who isn’t really into podcasts. (Or maybe you’re just looking for another great resource.) That’s okay!

Here’s where you can find more information about how to lead an engineering team:

Final thoughts

Keeping up to date on the latest technical trends and management techniques is crucial for being successful as an EM. Not only does this help you stay informed, but it can help you stay motivated, improve your management skills, and keep your team engaged.

It’s also important to remember that you don’t have to go it alone. There are plenty of people who have been where you are and are open to sharing career advice and proven solutions.

There’s a lot of content out there — but if you’re looking for some of the best podcasts for engineering managers, the ones listed above should be at the top of your list.

Happy listening!