Leadership Launchpad

Welcome to the Leadership Launchpad where we help technical managers improve themselves, their teams, and their organizations. Host Matt Gjertsen — former Air Force instructor pilot and head of training and development at SpaceX — brings hard-won lessons from the world's most demanding organizations to help new managers lead with clarity and confidence. Each episode cuts through the noise with practical frameworks, real stories, and straight talk on what it actually takes to build high-performing teams in aerospace, defense, and beyond. Whether you're managing engineers, navigating organizational chaos, or just trying not to let your team down, Leadership Launchpad gives you the tools to get better every day.

Leadership Launchpad is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 200 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Leadership Launchpad, a business show with 200 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #209

  Creating Trust in Technical Teams w/ Matt Gjertsen

  Sep 29, 202615 min

  In this episode of Leadership Launchpad, listeners are introduced to key concepts from the book Minimum Viable Manager. The episode focuses on the importance of building trust within technical teams, emphasizing it as the foundational element for productive conflict and high performance. Drawing on real-world examples such as Ford’s turnaround under Alan Mulally and research initiatives like Google’s Project Aristotle, the episode explains what trust means, why it matters, and actionable ways technical managers can strengthen team connections. Strategies include using connection-building questions in meetings and developing personal user manuals to foster better working relationships. This is the first in a four-part series that breaks down essential management responsibilities and practical steps for new and aspiring leaders. Important Timestamps: 00:00: Introduction to the episode and book structure 01:16: Overview of the First Principles Leadership framework 02:21: Why trust is essential for technical teams 03:12: Google’s Project Aristotle and psychological safety 04:30: Ford and Alan Mulally's example of team trust 06:46: Defining trust: skills, decisions, and connections 08:46: Practical techniques for building trust in teams 11:51: Creating user manuals to strengthen manager–employee relationships 13:00: Questions managers can ask to assess trust on their team 13:41: Preview of the next episode: setting expectations

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  Episode #208

  Driving Results Through Better Team Alignment w/ Susan Stone

  Sep 22, 202633 min

  In this episode, Susan Stone, CEO of Blue Current, discusses the company's journey in developing high-performance, silicon-based solid-state batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage. She shares insights on the technical and cultural challenges of scaling from R&D to commercialization, emphasizing the importance of communication, cross-team collaboration, and creating flexible feedback loops. Stone also addresses leadership development, sharing practical advice for new managers on the value of context, over-communication, and being open to asking questions. The conversation covers strategies for navigating rapid organizational change, aligning teams during key transitions, and balancing the needs of individual contributors with leadership paths. Important Timestamps 02:21: Susan Stone explains Blue Current’s unique battery technology 05:42: Blue Current achieving development milestones ahead of schedule 08:03: How unexpected battery performance opened new markets 09:19: The importance of integrated teamwork and avoiding silos in scale-up 11:24: Impactful mentorship from Amazon board member on improving cycle times 13:44: Susan Stone’s early leadership lessons about the critical role of context 17:02: Communicating context and customer impact in technical organizations 20:25: Leadership and communication challenges during commercialization 23:54: Strategies for company-wide communication and decision-making 29:48: Advice for frontline leaders and importance of seeking guidance

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  Episode #207

  Balancing Chaos and Control in Teams with Matt Gjertsen

  Sep 15, 202622 min

  This episode of Leadership Launchpad delves into the leadership principle known as "the line," a concept discussed by Travis Kalanick, founder of Uber, during his conversation on the David Senra podcast. The episode explains how leaders can find the balance between too few and too many rules within their teams and organizations. Drawing from real-world examples at companies like Uber, City Storage Systems (now Atoms), and Netflix, the discussion breaks down the dangers of both chaos and excessive control, and offers insights into how leaders can foster innovation while maintaining necessary structure. Listeners will also hear practical advice for technical managers on communicating expectations, building effective processes, and developing leadership skills that influence where "the line" is drawn in their teams. Important Timestamps 00:00: Introduction to "the line" leadership principle 01:02: Background on Travis Kalanick and City Storage Systems 02:25: The dangers of chaos in organizations 03:10: Pitfalls of excessive rules and bureaucracy 05:59: Defining the line: minimum viable rules 08:35: The impact of hiring and team diversity on rules 12:45: Three levels of skill and understanding organizational rules 14:39: Uber’s city launch playbook and practical application of the line 18:40: Multi-dimensional nature of the line in scaling organizations 20:09: Setting clear expectations and the link between leadership and innovation

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  Episode #206

  Mastering Organizational Development w/ Gabrielle Rufrano

  Sep 8, 202631 min

  In this episode, Gabrielle Rufrano, a doctoral candidate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Clemson University, shares insights from her experiences in both large organizations like NASA and fast-paced startups in the energy sector. She discusses the fundamentals of industrial and organizational psychology, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based practices and organizational culture. Gabrielle compares the structured, mission-driven culture at NASA with the more flexible but less unified environment of a startup, highlighting how organizational maturity and resources impact the implementation of research-backed development practices. She also explores the gap between academic research and practical application in industry, and how both sides can improve collaboration for better workplace outcomes. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Gabrielle Rufrano and discussion of organizational culture 02:17 – Explanation of industrial and organizational psychology 03:17 – How research is conducted and validated in the field 06:08 – Example of experimental research with workplace bias 10:14 – Comparison of NASA and startup cultures 14:21 – Details of organizational development work at NASA 19:54 – The value of organizational culture and its real-world impact 22:25 – Challenges in applying research in fast-moving industries 27:02 – Key lessons for bridging academia and industry

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  Episode #205

  Empowering Teams in Fast-Growing Startups w/ Shan Mohta

  Sep 1, 202632 min

  In this episode, Shan Mohta, co-founder and CEO of Vendra, discusses his journey building a manufacturing platform aimed at streamlining the process of ordering custom parts in the US, with a focus on aerospace and defense. Shan Mohta shares how Vendra leverages software to match customer designs with the best-fit suppliers, improving supply chain resilience and reducing lead times. He provides insights into his leadership style, shaped by experiences at major tech companies and startups, emphasizing accessibility and decision-making empowerment for his team. The discussion also covers the early pivots in Vendra’s product direction, the value of direct and constructive feedback, and lessons learned from collaborating with both large and small manufacturing customers. Important Timestamps 00:00: Shan Mohta shares how brutal early feedback shaped Vendra. 00:45: Introduction to Vendra’s mission and customer base. 03:00: How Vendra streamlines custom parts manufacturing. 04:19: The importance of supply chain resilience. 06:16: How Vendra scales from prototypes to large production runs. 10:24: Lessons from large companies vs. startups and impact on Vendra’s culture. 13:32: Empowering teams to make decisions and developing a coaching mindset. 18:30: Creating clear decision-making constraints for team members. 23:33: What inspired Shan to found Vendra. 25:50: The importance of honest feedback and Vendra’s pivotal moments. 30:00: Building a culture of customer feedback and continuous improvement.

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