Jan. 22, 2026

Fixing the Language Barrier Between Engineers and Executives with Karell Ste Marie of The Serious CT

Matt is joined by Karell Ste-Marie, founder of The Serious CTO YouTube channel. Together, they tackle one of the biggest hidden challenges in software companies: the language and cultural barrier between engineers and executives.

Karell and Matt break down why innovation is so rare in large organizations, why engineers and business leaders often talk past each other, and how the CTO role often becomes the critical bridge between the two worlds.

Key Discussion Points

The cultural resistance to change inside enterprises

How introversion and communication style shape engineering culture

Why the best CTOs speak “both languages”

Lessons from mistakes made on the path to leadership


Resources & Links

The Serious CTO on YouTube

– Karell’s channel where he shares insights on engineering leadership


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