A lot of women in tech hesitate to step into management for one reason: they think they need to stay the most technical person in the room.
In this episode, I’m joined by Cecilia Borg, an experienced CTO and transformation leader (Spotify, King, Oracle, and more) to break down what engineering leadership actually is and why the “manager = failed developer” myth is so damaging.
We talk about the real business value of engineering managers, why the popular “50% coding, 50% managing” model often creates mediocre outcomes on both sides, and how to navigate mismatched expectations across CEOs, product, tech leads, and teams.
If you’re a new engineering manager, a senior engineer considering the leap, or a leader who’s tired of unclear expectations, this conversation will give you language, clarity, and practical direction.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
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What engineering managers are really responsible for (delivery, team health, capacity, strategy)
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How to stay “technical enough” without needing to ship production code
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Why leadership can feel lonely, and what to do about it
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How to define expectations before they define you
About Cecilia:
Cecilia Borg is an experienced CTO and transformation leader with experience from Spotify, gaming company King, Oracle, and many more. She's a DevOps evangelist working with engineers, peers, and leadership to establish a tech culture and organization where people thrive and can innovate. She's on a mission to cross-pollinate the Stockholm tech scene, working as an interim product development leader, advisor, and board member.
Follow Cecilia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecilia-borg-3a53b5/
Resources site: www.doitanyway.se
Engineering Leaders (Sweden): https://www.engineeringleaders.se/
About Limor Bergman Gross
Limor Bergman Gross is a former Director of Engineering turned executive coach for women in tech. She helps ambitious women grow their confidence, influence, and leadership without burnout or pretending to be someone they’re not.
- Podcast hub: https://limorbergman.com/podacst
- Substack: https://limorbergman.substack.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LimorBergman