Herding Squirrels Ep 02
w Jiovanni Rosario
Controls Engineering Manager, Amazon
In this episode, host Brandon welcomes Jiovanni Rosario, Controls Engineering Manager at Amazon. Using LEGO Serious Play methodology, they explore Giovanni's journey from individual contributor to leader, discussing team dynamics, leadership challenges, and strategies for effective management.
Episode Overview
In this episode, host Brandon welcomes Giovanni Rosario, Controls Engineering Manager at Amazon. Using LEGO Serious Play methodology, they explore Giovanni's journey from individual contributor to leader, discussing team dynamics, leadership challenges, and strategies for effective management.
Guest Bio
Jiovanni Rosario has worn many hats in the tech industry—controls engineer, sales engineer, and software developer. These days, he manages a team of controls engineers keeping data center servers cool and powered. He shares leadership stories on Substack, mentors aspiring managers, and recently became a dad.
Key Moments & Topics
The Best Team Experience (08:52-11:12)
Giovanni's "A-team" story about his formative years in the data center industry
Three colleagues who clicked, challenged each other, and maintained friendship for a decade
The power of camaraderie in professional settings
The Worst Team Experience (11:12-14:18)
Giovanni's challenging experience in a sales engineering role
Poor leadership characterized by isolation and lack of support
The importance of connection versus silos in team environments
The Journey to Leadership (14:18-18:08)
Motivation to not repeat negative management experiences
Learning to tailor communication approaches to different team members
Focusing on trust and curiosity rather than instant advice-giving
Managing Cross-Functional Demands (18:08-23:57)
The challenge of balancing organizational goals with team capacity
Using prioritization frameworks to focus team efforts
Strategies for evaluating and sometimes redirecting partner requests
Advice for New Leaders (25:36-28:57)
"Life exists outside the spreadsheet" - balancing metrics with human connection
The importance of face-to-face interaction with team members
Avoiding getting lost in data at the expense of understanding real pain points
Growth Mindset for ICs (23:57-25:36)
"Think big" as a critical leadership principle
Moving beyond solving individual problems to identifying patterns
Looking for opportunities to improve processes for everyone
Quotes
"When I first got the opportunity to become a manager... I didn't want to be a bad manager. I wanted to be someone who cared, someone who supported their team and someone who made their team feel like they could trust them."
"Life exists outside the spreadsheet. It's really easy to get lost... looking at charts and different data analytic tools, that you lose sight of really interacting with your team and potentially even your customers."
Resources Mentioned
Bob Iger's Masterclass on team focus
"Build" by Swarmia - featuring the Eisenhower Matrix for prioritization
Ramit Sethi's book "I Will Teach You to Be Rich" (for the quote about life existing outside spreadsheets)
Where to Find Giovanni
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiovannirosario/
Substack: Becoming a Leader
Medium https://jiovannirosario.medium.com/
About the Show
Herding Squirrels explores team dynamics through LEGO Serious Play methodology, uncovering insights about leadership, collaboration, and effective teamwork.
Note: This is our first episode of Herding Squirrels! We'd love your feedback and ideas for future episodes. Contact us through IN8 Create's website.
