Bryan Liles has been working in tech for almost 30 years with roles at VMware, Digital Ocean, AWS, and more. He is known for being a great technical leader. He is not a people manager. In this episode, I wanted to explore leadership as an Individual Contributor, and Bryan was the perfect guest for this. He believes in helping others at work so that everyone can win. On this episode of the Pay-It-Forward Society, we talk about:

• The difference between being a boss and being a leader. Leaders help everyone succeed, not just themselves.

• How you can be a leader in what you do, even if you’re not in charge. Bryan talks about leading in tech by sharing new ideas and ways of working.

• Bryan’s goal is to improve the people around him. He shows us that when one person wins, it doesn’t mean someone else loses.

• Ways to make a good impact at work even if you don’t have power or a big title. It’s about setting a good example and encouraging your teammates.

• Bryan’s own stories about leading in tech. He gives tips for others who want to make a big impact too.

Bryan shares his thoughts on how anyone at work can be a leader, showing us that it’s about what you do, not your job title.

Bryan mentioned several books during this episode including:
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- Wiring the Winning Organization by Gene Kim and Steven J. Spear
- Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug
- Accelerate: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations by Dr Nicole Forsgren, Gene Kim, Jez Humble

- What If? by Randal Munroe

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Where to follow Bryan Liles

- X: https://twitter.com/bryanl

- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanliles/

Where to find Romain Jourdan:

- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjourdan/

- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rjourdan_net

- Subscribe to The Pay-It-Forward Society newsletter: https://www.tpifs.com

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