Why do engineering teams slow down as they scale? It’s not the technology—it’s the management systems.

In this episode, Michi Kono, CTO at Garner Health and former engineering leader at Meta, Capital One, and Stripe, shares his battle-tested approach to building scalable engineering organizations. We explore why most teams slow down as they scale and how to build systems that accelerate growth. Our conversation covers everything from designing effective org charts to creating accountability without killing psychological safety. You’ll learn practical strategies for nurturing engineering culture while maintaining high-performance standards.

Key topics discussed:

• The challenges of hypergrowth and the need to constantly reinvent yourself
• How to avoid slowdowns by holding teams accountable for outcomes, not just shipping code
• The art of designing org charts that maximize team autonomy
• Building a culture of accountability and learning from mistakes without blame
• When managers should stop writing code (and why this decision matters)
• The difference between being a people manager and an executive
• Why communication becomes the most critical skill at senior levels

Timestamps:

• (00:00) Trailer & Intro
• (02:10) Career Turning Points
• (03:55) Skills Advice for Engineers
• (06:46) The Challenges of a Hypergrowth Company
• (09:09) Learning and Growing in a Hypergrowth Company
• (12:07) The Slowdown in Engineering as You Scale
• (15:55) Designing Organization Structure Well
• (18:11) Effective Organization Chart Tips
• (21:05) Nurturing a Good Engineering Culture
• (25:37) Nurturing Psychological Safety
• (28:14) Learning from Mistakes & Performance Review
• (30:27) Being a Mission-Driven Company
• (32:11) Aligning Mission and Values in the Day-to-Day Work
• (34:45) The Importance of Management System in Organization
• (41:53) The Importance of Having Good Managers
• (45:30) For Strong ICs: Writing Code or Being a Manager?
• (50:55) The Difference Between a Manager Role and Executive Role
• (56:01) A Unique Thing Learned from Doing Payment Systems
• (58:43) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom

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Michi Kono’s Bio
Michi Kono is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Garner Health, a company on a mission to help people get better healthcare. With a unique and extensive career spanning multiple industries, Michi has navigated the entire spectrum of the tech world. He began his journey in startups, one of which was acquired, leading him to a role at Capital One. From there, he gained invaluable experience at tech giants like Meta and financial-tech leader Stripe before taking the helm at Garner Health. Michi is passionate about the art and science of scaling engineering teams, building resilient cultures, and designing effective management systems to drive success in high-growth environments. He believes deeply in empowering engineers, fostering accountability, and the critical importance of clear communication for any leader.

Follow Michi:

• LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/michikono
• Twitter – x.com/michikono
• Garner Health – getgarner.com

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Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/229.
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How do you build a high-performing engineering team in the AI era? And will AI make fundamental engineering skills obsolete?

In this episode, Mohan Krishnan, Head of Engineering at Grab, shares lessons from leading multiple transformational engineering teams. Drawing from his experience at Grab, Bukalapak, BBM Emtek, and Pivotal Labs, Mohan explains why core engineering fundamentals still matter, even in the age of AI, and will become even more valuable than ever. He discusses building disciplined, high-performing engineering teams and the importance of hands-on leadership. We also explore the unique challenges and vast potential of the tech landscape in Southeast Asia.

Key topics discussed:

• Why foundational skills like TDD and system design are becoming more critical in the age of generative AI
• How to effectively use AI as a pair programmer for upskilling and idea generation, while avoiding the pitfalls of “vibe coding”
• Mohan’s “sports team” analogy for building successful engineering teams with discipline, a mix of seniority, and a culture of deep learning
• The importance of hands-on technical leadership, and why even CTOs should “dive deep” to set the right engineering bar
• The state of engineering talent in Southeast Asia and what’s needed to bridge the gap in deep tech and AI development
• Actionable career advice for junior and mid-career professionals navigating the AI-infused software industry

Timestamps:

• (00:00:00) Trailer & Intro
• (00:02:08) Career Turning Points
• (00:06:03) Things We Should Learn in the AI Era
• (00:09:53) AI as a Pair Programmer
• (00:13:58) The Danger of Outsourcing Our Thinking to AI
• (00:17:29) The Dopamine Hit of Using AI
• (00:20:36) Building a Successful Transformational Engineering Team
• (00:25:33) The Discipline Rigor in An Engineering Team
• (00:29:14) Understanding & Delivering Outcomes for the Business
• (00:32:21) Having a Tough Approach as an Engineering Leader
• (00:39:07) Going Back as an IC at Google
• (00:45:40) The Importance of Being Hands-On with Recent Technologies for Leaders
• (00:52:40) Hands-on vs Micromanagement
• (00:55:11) Engineering Talents in Southeast Asia
• (00:58:06) Building Tech Talents in Southeast Asia
• (01:01:17) Bridging the AI Gap in Southeast Asia
• (01:04:03) Should We Still Pursue a Tech Career in the AI Era?
• (01:07:24) 2 Tech Lead Wisdom

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Mohan Krishnan’s Bio
Mohan Krishnan, based in Singapore, is currently a Head of Engineering at Grab. Mohan Krishnan brings experience from previous roles at Google, Bukalapak, BBM and Pt. Kreatif Media Karya. Mohan Krishnan holds a 1998 - 2002 Bachelor of Engineering in Multimedia, Electronics at Multimedia University. With a robust skill set that includes Ruby on Rails, Multithreading, Web Services, HTML, Services and more.

Follow Mohan:

• LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/mohangk

Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/228.
Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
Buy me a coffee or become a patron.