Uncommon Roundtable: How High-Performing Tech Leaders Build Resilience
Wed Feb 04 2026
Why do we treat joy or happiness as a reward?
Something we're allowed to feel only after the sprint is over, or the code is shipped, or the crisis is averted.
When we cut out joy to focus solely on getting it done, we trigger a dangerous biological shift called predatory aggression—a state where our doer brain takes over, shutting down curiosity, connection, and empathy. The very emotions we need to survive the storm and be truly resilient.
In this episode of the Uncommon Leadership Roundtable, we explore the true ROI of Joy. Our expert panel brings decades of experience from the technical trenches to the executive boardroom to underscore the hard-hitting reality of leading as a human being rather than a title.
In this podcast, you'll discover that resilience and joy are two sides of the same coin–you cannot have a high-performing system without the "habits of joy" that make the struggle meaningful.
Your takeaways from the conversation:
Profluence over Endurance: Understand that resilience isn't about standing still and taking hits. It's about profluence—the steady, joyous momentum of moving the story forward. The Predatory Aggression Trap: Why extreme focus can trigger a biological shift where curiosity and empathy get the axe. The joy of Delegating: Why holding onto tasks that drain you isn't being a hero—it's joy-hoarding. The Resilience Paradox: Difficulty isn't a bug; it's a requirement. How the hardest challenges are the prerequisite for the greatest celebrations. The 5 R's of Play: How being resourceful, responsible, respectful, resilient, and real settles a chaotic system like a glitter jar coming to rest.
Tune in now to reclaim the ROI of joy and lead with momentum that actually lasts.
Meet the Panel of Speakers
Tim Ottinger
Agile coach and Extreme Programming expert known for bringing curiosity, creativity, and human-centered thinking into software delivery.
Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/agileotter/
Portia Tung
Portia helps leaders reclaim their innate "Play Intelligence" to transform rigid corporate structures into living, breathing systems of excellence.
Connect:linkedin.com/in/portiatung/
Melissa Boyle
As the Global CTO at LexisNexis Intellectual Property Solutions, Melissa shares the grace and grit of being a Human CTO, letting go of the "God" title to empower her teams to be their authentic selves.
Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-boyle/
Jeff Langr
Langr is a software developer, coach, mentor, trainer, author, and a leader. In a world increasingly driven by AI, Jeff advocates for a "Human-First" approach to technology.
Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefflangr/
Matthew Carlson
Carlson is the CEO at Aquanta Inc. and a systems designer who specializes in building organizations that align with how humans actually work. He views relationship-building and staff sponsorship as the essential infrastructure for a resilient, joy-filled culture.
Connect : https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrcarlson/
Meet Your Host
Michael Hunter
Michael Hunter went from debugging code to debugging people—and now helps people debug themselves. Through the Uncommon Leadership Podcast and his work with tech leaders, he explores the invisible cultural and emotional dynamics that stall change and drain teams.
His work focuses on resilience, joy, clarity, and leading with the whole self.
Read more:https://uncommonteams.com/
Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/humbugreality/
Was this conversation worth your time?
If yes, give us a thumbs up and subscribe so you don't miss future episodes.
For more inspiring conversations like this, sign up for the Uncommon Leadership newsletter athttps://uncommonteams.com
Watch the Uncommon Leadership Podcast:
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp9vaDKz5TI7gaWKLc801Dw
Prefer audio? Stream here:
Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/uncommon-leadership/id1654637165
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/2BkXGceaZgVWxGQCXcrmgj
Presented By: Uncommon Change
More
Why do we treat joy or happiness as a reward? Something we're allowed to feel only after the sprint is over, or the code is shipped, or the crisis is averted. When we cut out joy to focus solely on getting it done, we trigger a dangerous biological shift called predatory aggression—a state where our doer brain takes over, shutting down curiosity, connection, and empathy. The very emotions we need to survive the storm and be truly resilient. In this episode of the Uncommon Leadership Roundtable, we explore the true ROI of Joy. Our expert panel brings decades of experience from the technical trenches to the executive boardroom to underscore the hard-hitting reality of leading as a human being rather than a title. In this podcast, you'll discover that resilience and joy are two sides of the same coin–you cannot have a high-performing system without the "habits of joy" that make the struggle meaningful. Your takeaways from the conversation: Profluence over Endurance: Understand that resilience isn't about standing still and taking hits. It's about profluence—the steady, joyous momentum of moving the story forward. The Predatory Aggression Trap: Why extreme focus can trigger a biological shift where curiosity and empathy get the axe. The joy of Delegating: Why holding onto tasks that drain you isn't being a hero—it's joy-hoarding. The Resilience Paradox: Difficulty isn't a bug; it's a requirement. How the hardest challenges are the prerequisite for the greatest celebrations. The 5 R's of Play: How being resourceful, responsible, respectful, resilient, and real settles a chaotic system like a glitter jar coming to rest. Tune in now to reclaim the ROI of joy and lead with momentum that actually lasts. Meet the Panel of Speakers Tim Ottinger Agile coach and Extreme Programming expert known for bringing curiosity, creativity, and human-centered thinking into software delivery. Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/agileotter/ Portia Tung Portia helps leaders reclaim their innate "Play Intelligence" to transform rigid corporate structures into living, breathing systems of excellence. Connect:linkedin.com/in/portiatung/ Melissa Boyle As the Global CTO at LexisNexis Intellectual Property Solutions, Melissa shares the grace and grit of being a Human CTO, letting go of the "God" title to empower her teams to be their authentic selves. Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-boyle/ Jeff Langr Langr is a software developer, coach, mentor, trainer, author, and a leader. In a world increasingly driven by AI, Jeff advocates for a "Human-First" approach to technology. Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefflangr/ Matthew Carlson Carlson is the CEO at Aquanta Inc. and a systems designer who specializes in building organizations that align with how humans actually work. He views relationship-building and staff sponsorship as the essential infrastructure for a resilient, joy-filled culture. Connect : https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrcarlson/ Meet Your Host Michael Hunter Michael Hunter went from debugging code to debugging people—and now helps people debug themselves. Through the Uncommon Leadership Podcast and his work with tech leaders, he explores the invisible cultural and emotional dynamics that stall change and drain teams. His work focuses on resilience, joy, clarity, and leading with the whole self. Read more:https://uncommonteams.com/ Connect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/humbugreality/ Was this conversation worth your time? If yes, give us a thumbs up and subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. For more inspiring conversations like this, sign up for the Uncommon Leadership newsletter athttps://uncommonteams.com Watch the Uncommon Leadership Podcast: YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp9vaDKz5TI7gaWKLc801Dw Prefer audio? Stream here: Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/uncommon-leadership/id1654637165 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/2BkXGceaZgVWxGQCXcrmgj Presented By: Uncommon Change