The latest INCOSE podcast is out now!
In this episode, we sit down with Julia Mullaney, co-founder of Exceptional Difference, educator, consultant, and leadership expert. With a distinguished career that includes major leadership roles at IBM and the Software Engineering Institute—where she worked alongside the legendary Watts Humphrey—Julia brings a truly unique perspective centered on the human side of engineering.
In this candid conversation, Julia shares powerful insights on:
- The “Invisible” Savings of Quality: Why many organizations mistakenly think engineering quality is expensive, and how shifting defects to early design and code reviews can save hundreds of hours.
- Overcommitment & Schedule Pressure: How to face reality, establish realistic plans, and have the courage to stand up for engineering standards under pressure.
- Flipping the Script on Mentorship: Why technical leaders must learn to “coach instead of rescue” to build long-term capability within their teams.
- The AI Boom: Her perspective on the rapid acceleration of AI and why architectural wisdom and design thinking are more critical than ever.
Julia also passes along three essential pieces of advice for young engineers, particularly women entering technical leadership roles.
Don’t miss this inspiring and data-backed discussion on bridging the gap between engineering theory and daily reality.
Listen to the episode now wherever you get your podcasts!