Spotlight

How to Stop Remote Engineering Teams From Failing So Much

A LinkedIn article featuring Erik Summerfield and other engineering leaders on building strong remote engineering cultures, the importance of deliberate communication, and strategies for team cohesion, alignment, and visibility in distributed teams.

Mention Team Dynamics & Culture Leadership & Management Organizational Development

June 3, 2025

AI Innovation and Experimentation in Engineering Teams

A LinkedIn post discussing the importance of treating failed AI experiments with the same seriousness as successful ones, featuring insights on enabling innovation at scale and the value of learning from failures.

Mention Communication & Innovation Organizational Development

May 15, 2025

Compelling Work Environments: Formality in Processes vs. AI

Analyzes the balance between formal processes and AI integration in creating compelling work environments.

Article Communication & Innovation Organizational Development

May 13, 2025

Peopleware Guild Origin Story – Critter and Erik

Shares the origin story of the Peopleware Guild, focusing on its mission and the collaboration between Critter and Erik.

Podcast Organizational Development Team Dynamics & Culture

January 15, 2025

Do Years of Experience Matter?

Discusses the value of experience versus adaptability in the workplace, questioning traditional metrics of expertise.

Podcast Organizational Development Workplace Practices

January 26, 2023

The Dangers of Flexible Work

Explores the unintended consequences of flexible work arrangements, including challenges in team cohesion and productivity.

Podcast Workplace Practices Team Dynamics & Culture

November 21, 2022

What Even Is Small Talk?

Analyzes the role of small talk in professional settings and its impact on workplace relationships.

Podcast Communication & Innovation Team Dynamics & Culture

June 28, 2022

Every Team Jells Differently, Dang It

Explores how different teams develop cohesion and the factors that influence team dynamics.

Podcast Team Dynamics & Culture Leadership & Management

April 14, 2022

Unscheduled Time Is Like Shopping Without Price Tags

Discusses the challenges of managing unscheduled time and its impact on productivity and planning.

Podcast Workplace Practices Organizational Development

March 21, 2022

Does Wanting to Be Liked Help or Hurt as a Leader?

Examines the balance between likability and authority in leadership roles.

Podcast Leadership & Management Team Dynamics & Culture

January 3, 2022

Hire Slow, Fire Fast

Discusses the philosophy of cautious hiring and decisive firing in building effective teams.

Podcast Workplace Practices Leadership & Management

October 4, 2021

Bluntness vs. Politeness

Explores the dynamics between direct communication and politeness in professional settings.

Podcast Communication & Innovation Team Dynamics & Culture

December 21, 2020

Building a Design System for 800+ Websites

A presentation about developing Bodyless.js, an open-source toolkit for building websites on the Jamstack, created at Johnson & Johnson. The talk covers the challenges of managing 800+ websites across different brands and markets, and how the team developed a composable design system to enable both reuse and differentiation.

Presentation Communication & Innovation Organizational Development

December 13, 2020