Influencing without authority: What every engineering leader can learn from security w/ Srinath Kuruvadi #227

In this episode of The Engineering Leadership Podcast, Patrick Gallagher interviews Srinath Kuruvadi, a cybersecurity executive, about the art of influencing without authority, a critical skill for security leaders and all engineering leaders. Srinath shares strategies for building trust, aligning outcomes with stakeholders, and advocating for initiatives where the ROI isn't immediately apparent. He emphasizes the importance of understanding stakeholders' priorities, using common vocabulary and metrics, and documenting agreements. Srinath also discusses time management techniques, including weekly reflections and calendar prioritization, and provides insights into AI and security trends, highlighting the need for human judgment in automation. He also shares about the Innovation Lab at JPMorgan Chase, designed to foster experimentation and address real-world pain points, and concludes with rapid-fire questions about his reading habits, impactful methodologies, and a guiding quote about inspiring a shared vision.