#197 - Beyond Input & Output: Building Outcome-Oriented Engineering Teams - Balki Kodarapu

Tech Lead Journal

“Input, Output, Outcome, and Impact. It’s an escalating way of where to spend my time as an engineering leader, and more importantly, where my engineering team is spending their time on.”

Balki Kodarapu is the VP of Engineering at Lōvu Health and a seasoned engineering leader with a wealth of experience from startups to large organizations. In this episode, Balki shares his valuable insights on how to build and lead high-performing engineering teams that go beyond just churning out code.

We go deep into his practical framework for driving outcomes and impact, emphasizing why it’s crucial for engineers to understand the ‘why’ behind their work. Balki also shares effective strategies for setting, communicating, and reinforcing engineering values. We also discuss the importance of connecting with your team, practicing gratitude and curiosity, and measuring engineering metrics effectively.

Tune in to gain valuable insights and practical tips for building outcome-oriented engineering teams and becoming a more effective leader.

Listen out for:

• Career Turning Points - [00:01:55]
• Impact & Outcome Driven Engineering - [00:05:50]
• Helping Engineering Connect to the Outcomes - [00:11:52]
• Balancing Engineers’ Focus Time - [00:16:18]
• Key Engineering Metrics: Releasing with Joy & Confidence - [00:18:46]
• Engineering Metrics Other Org Functions Care About - [00:23:01]
• Setting Engineering Values - [00:30:33]
• How to Create Engineering Values - [00:36:16]
• Communicating Values - [00:40:18]
• Practicing Gratitude & Curiosity - [00:43:59]
• 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:49:49]

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Balki Kodarapu’s Bio
Balki Kodarapu, an all-in engineering leader and entrepreneur at heart. Balki has a proven track record of leading SaaS products from inception to hyper-growth, helping companies achieve 2x to 10x revenue growth, including two successful exits. He loves being a hands-on engineer, director, and VP of Engineering (all at once!), contributing daily, shaping product strategy and building high-performing teams.

Currently, Balki leads engineering at Lōvu Health where his team helps create positive, joyful & healthy experiences for pregnant & postpartum moms every single day.

Follow Balki:

• LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/balki

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