Tech Lead NYC

### Overview

Stop just talking about soft skills and start doing them! This fun, activity-based workshop focuses on practical skills for assertive communication, active listening, negotiation, and navigating the social landscape of the modern workplace. Ideal for engineers, product managers, and other tech professionals.

### Details

Join a lively, hands-on communication workshop designed for software engineers, product managers, and other tech professionals who want to build real-time communication fluency and confidence in a low-pressure setting.

### What this event is

This is a peer-to-peer, activity-based learning night where you won't just hear about best practices—you will immediately practice them in a variety of fast-paced games and guided role-playing scenarios. The focus is on building confidence, developing muscle memory for tough conversations, and supporting each other as a community while having a good time.

### How it works

You will participate in a rotating series of structured, interactive activities focused on key workplace communication challenges. You will work in pairs and small groups, taking turns as the 'communicator' and the 'listener/feedback giver' in short, focused rounds.
We will be playing games and running scenarios to practice:

• Assertive Communication: Expressing ideas clearly and standing up for yourself without being aggressive.
• Active Listening: Understanding and responding effectively to a colleague's needs or concerns.
• Negotiation & Compromise: Finding mutually beneficial solutions in decision-making and project debates.
• Workplace Navigation: Handling office politics, giving constructive feedback, and advocating for your team/ideas.

After each activity, you and your partners will give each other specific, actionable feedback to help refine your technique, clarity, and overall presence.

### Who should attend

This workshop is ideal for:

• Engineers and Technical Experts who want to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling workplace communication.
• Product Managers and Tech Leads needing to improve negotiation and difficult conversation skills.
• Professionals feeling out of practice or intimidated by presenting, advocating, or workplace dynamics.

All experience levels are welcome; the only requirement is a willingness to practice, give feedback, and treat others with respect. This is a workshop for developing skills, not a lecture.

### About the facilitator (Nico Cernek)

The session will be facilitated by Nico Cernek, a seasoned Tech Lead and Manager who has successfully led high-performing engineering teams. Nico’s experience is rooted in understanding how to move projects forward and secure resources by effectively navigating the political and social realities of a large organization. Nico will share proven strategies for managing challenging stakeholders, advocating for team needs, and using strategic communication to drive professional and organizational success.

### Vibe and expectations

Expect a highly interactive, lighthearted, and encouraging atmosphere where making mistakes is the best way to learn and feedback is always constructive. The goal is to walk away with more confidence, a toolkit of practical communication strategies, and the muscle memory to use them when it counts—while meeting other local tech folks working to enhance their soft skills.

In a high-growth environment, the best idea doesn’t always win—the best-articulated one does. Whether you are advocating for a technical architectural change, negotiating for more headcount, or selling a vision to stakeholders, your ability to persuade is your most critical leverage.
This workshop moves beyond "giving a good presentation." It is a deep dive into the psychology and structure of professional influence.

We will focus on the tactical skills required to move people from "maybe" to "yes":

• The Logic of Buy-In: Learn to structure your ideas using frameworks that executives and stakeholders find impossible to ignore.
• Objection Handling: Learn how to anticipate concerns and address them before they are even voiced, turning resistance into alignment.
• Navigating Difficult Conversations: Strategies for maintaining influence even when there is high tension or fundamental disagreement.
• The Power of Narrative: How to use data and technical specs as supporting evidence for a larger, more persuasive story.
• Executive Presence: Refining your delivery to project confidence, authority, and calmness under pressure.

Join a fun, low-pressure tech interview workshop in NYC designed for software engineers, product managers, and other tech professionals who want more real reps before their next job interview.​

## What this event is

This is a peer-to-peer mock interview night where you will both interview others and be interviewed yourself. The focus is on building confidence, sharpening your answers, and supporting each other as a community while having a good time.​

## How it works

• You will be matched with a partner and run two rounds: 20 minutes as the candidate and 20 minutes as the interviewer.
• You can choose what to practice:
• Behavioral questions (storytelling, communication, “tell me about a time…”)
• Coding questions (problem solving, clarity of thought)
• System design questions (architecture, tradeoffs, scalability)
• After each round, you and your partner will give each other feedback to help refine answers, communication, and interview presence.​

## Who should attend

This workshop is ideal for:

• Students and recent grads preparing for internships or first roles.
• Entry-level software engineers and PMs interviewing for new opportunities.
• Seasoned professionals who are out of practice and want structured reps in a friendly environment.

All experience levels are welcome; the only requirement is a willingness to practice, give feedback, and treat others with respect.​

## About the facilitator

The session will be facilitated by Nico Cernek, a tech lead who has conducted 100+ interviews across different roles and seniority levels. Nico will share what hiring managers listen for in strong behavioral answers, how they assess coding interviews beyond just “getting the solution,” and what makes a compelling system design discussion.​

## Vibe and expectations

Expect a lighthearted, encouraging atmosphere where mistakes are normal and feedback is constructive. The goal is to walk away with more confidence, clearer stories, and a better sense of what real interviewers look for—while meeting other NYC tech folks who are also working toward their next role.

### Overview

Stop just talking about soft skills and start doing them! This fun, activity-based workshop focuses on practical skills for assertive communication, active listening, negotiation, and navigating the social landscape of the modern workplace. Ideal for engineers, product managers, and other tech professionals.

### Details

Join a lively, hands-on communication workshop designed for software engineers, product managers, and other tech professionals who want to build real-time communication fluency and confidence in a low-pressure setting.

### What this event is

This is a peer-to-peer, activity-based learning night where you won't just hear about best practices—you will immediately practice them in a variety of fast-paced games and guided role-playing scenarios. The focus is on building confidence, developing muscle memory for tough conversations, and supporting each other as a community while having a good time.

### How it works

You will participate in a rotating series of structured, interactive activities focused on key workplace communication challenges. You will work in pairs and small groups, taking turns as the 'communicator' and the 'listener/feedback giver' in short, focused rounds.
We will be playing games and running scenarios to practice:

• Assertive Communication: Expressing ideas clearly and standing up for yourself without being aggressive.
• Active Listening: Understanding and responding effectively to a colleague's needs or concerns.
• Negotiation & Compromise: Finding mutually beneficial solutions in decision-making and project debates.
• Workplace Navigation: Handling office politics, giving constructive feedback, and advocating for your team/ideas.

After each activity, you and your partners will give each other specific, actionable feedback to help refine your technique, clarity, and overall presence.

### Who should attend

This workshop is ideal for:

• Engineers and Technical Experts who want to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling workplace communication.
• Product Managers and Tech Leads needing to improve negotiation and difficult conversation skills.
• Professionals feeling out of practice or intimidated by presenting, advocating, or workplace dynamics.

All experience levels are welcome; the only requirement is a willingness to practice, give feedback, and treat others with respect. This is a workshop for developing skills, not a lecture.

### About the facilitator (Nico Cernek)

The session will be facilitated by Nico Cernek, a seasoned Tech Lead and Manager who has successfully led high-performing engineering teams. Nico’s experience is rooted in understanding how to move projects forward and secure resources by effectively navigating the political and social realities of a large organization. Nico will share proven strategies for managing challenging stakeholders, advocating for team needs, and using strategic communication to drive professional and organizational success.

### Vibe and expectations

Expect a highly interactive, lighthearted, and encouraging atmosphere where making mistakes is the best way to learn and feedback is always constructive. The goal is to walk away with more confidence, a toolkit of practical communication strategies, and the muscle memory to use them when it counts—while meeting other local tech folks working to enhance their soft skills.