Engineering Better Conversations

85% of promotions have nothing to do with your technical skills. That's not an opinion. It's what the research shows — and it's what most engineers never get told. In this episode, Nancy Michieli breaks down why your technical expertise may actually be working against you in the room — and what to do about it. You'll learn: Why decision-makers aren't evaluating your output — they're evaluating how...

When someone asks, “Tell me about yourself,” do you start listing credentials or clearly express who you are? If you’ve ever struggled to stand out in interviews or conversations with senior leaders, this episode will change how you define and communicate your professional identity. 🎙 Episode Overview In this episode of Get Promoted Faster, Nancy Michieli sits down with Rich Keller, brand expert a...

Most engineers spend their days executing, jumping from meeting to meeting and task to task, yet still feel stuck when it comes to career growth. But what if the problem isn’t your technical skill? What if it’s the way you’re thinking and the conversations you’re having? In this episode of Engineering Better Conversations, Nancy Michieli sits down with Melissa Creede, executive coach and leadershi...

Most job seekers spend hours hitting "Easy Apply" only to meet a wall of silence. But what if the problem isn’t your experience? What if it’s the fact that 95% of recruiters are looking for you in a way you haven’t prepared for? In this episode of Engineering Better Conversations, Nancy Michieli sits down with Heike Heemann, career strategist and LinkedIn expert, to pull back the curtain on how hi...

Most ERP projects go over budget, miss their goals, and create more chaos than they solve. But what if the problem isn't the software — it's the order in which you do everything else? In this episode of Engineering Better Conversations, Nancy Michieli sits down with Bob Wallis, strategist, consultant, and self-described "Project Fixer," to unpack why so many ERP and large software implementations...

If you don’t speak up, you don’t get heard. But speaking up takes courage — especially in rooms where the stakes are high. In this episode of Engineering Better Conversations, Nancy Michieli sits down with Alicia Moore to unpack what courage really means in corporate leadership. From Silicon Valley boardrooms to executive decision-making, Alicia shares: • Why leaders must choose growth over comfor...

This episode is a reality check for high-performing leaders who believe burnout is just part of success. Burnout isn’t the real problem. Chasing work-life balance is. For engineers, project leaders, and ambitious professionals, overwhelm often isn’t about workload — it’s about identity, boundaries, and chasing a myth that was never built for modern leadership. In this episode, executive coach and...

This episode is a wake-up call for leaders who think clarity is optional. After decades working with organizations, project teams, and leadership groups, Carla Lewis shares one hard truth: communication is always the problem — and always the fix. From stalled projects to resistance during change, this conversation explores why momentum slows, why teams push back, and why “just do it” leadership cr...