🎙️EP82 - The Last Mile: Why AI Adoption Isn't Enough
AI Readiness Gap: Why 70-90% AI adoption with 30-50% readiness is costing billions. The Last Mile framework for CTOs to complete AI coding tool investments.The data is clear: companies are pouring millions into GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf. Adoption rates hit 70-90%. But organizational readiness sits at 30-50%. That 40-point gap is where ROI disappears and technical debt compounds at machine speed.GitClear 2024 reveals the damage:- 39.9% drop in refactored code- 17.1% YoY increase in code duplication- Enterprise app lifespan collapsingThe human cost:- 77% developers disengaged- 40% experiencing burnout- Sick leave rising across the industryThis isn't CTO failure. This is the AI readiness gap—a structural challenge at hypergrowth speed that no single leader can solve alone.After 3 years and 130+ interviews with people who built 52 unicorns, I'm making a strategic shift. Pressing pause on the weekly format to focus completely on the last mile: helping organizations close their AI readiness gap.In this episode:- Why AI adoption without readiness creates technical debt at machine speed- The "Last Mile" framework for completing AI investments- The 2026 vision: real companies facing real challenges + elite crafters from the trenches- How the free AI Readiness Assessment reveals your gaps- The win-win-win model: you close the gap, become the case study, the industry learnsThis is not an ending. This is an evolution.---🎙️ ABOUT MICHELE (MIKE) BRISSONIHost of The Forge of Unicorns and founder of the Software Craftsmanship Dojo®. 35+ years on the tatami, 25+ years practicing TDD, 20+ years building behavioral engineering methodologies for elite software teams. F1-inspired precision. Zero tolerance for mediocrity.130+ interviews. 52 unicorns analyzed. One pattern: AI adoption without organizational readiness creates chaos. The mission now: help CTOs complete their AI investments through systematic behavioral engineering.---🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES🎯 FREE AI Readiness Assessment (30 min):👉 https://brix.consulting/free-ai-readiness-assessment/🥋 Software Craftsmanship Dojo®:👉 https://swcraftsmanshipdojo.com/🎧 Listen on your platform:- Spotify: https://go.brix.consulting/Spotify- Apple Podcasts: https://go.brix.consulting/ApplePodcast- Acast: https://shows.acast.com/the-forge-of-unicorns📝 Deep Dive Article and newsletter:- Substack: https://theforgeofunicorns.substack.com/- LinkedIn: https://go.brix.consulting/ForgeOfUnicorns Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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🎙️ EP81 - The AI Readiness Gap
97% of enterprise developers use AI coding tools. Trust crashed from 40% to 29% in one year. METR found experienced developers 19% slower while believing they were 20% faster. The 39-point perception gap exposes why your AI investment isn't delivering—and the 4-dimension framework that fixes it. 🎙️ EP81 - The AI Readiness Assessment | The Last Mile to 4X Results with AI Coding ToolsYou made the right investment. GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code—the tools work. But without readiness across 4 dimensions, AI amplifies dysfunction instead of excellence. This episode reveals the diagnostic framework and the pathway to turn your investment into exponential results.---In this episode, Michele (Mike) Brissoni exposes the AI-readiness gap costing CTOs millions: the delta between how fast organizations adopt AI and how prepared teams are to supervise it, validate it, and integrate it. He introduces the AI Readiness Assessment framework measuring organizational capacity across four critical dimensions, reveals why spec-driven development unlocks AI for experienced developers, and demonstrates how behavioral engineering—not more tools—closes the last AI-mile.💡 KEY INSIGHTS:- 97% of enterprise developers have used AI coding tools- Trust in AI accuracy dropped from 40% to 29% in just one year- 39-point perception gap: teams 19% slower while believing 20% faster- Experienced developers find traditional AI coding tools distracting without proper workflows- Spec-driven development expands AI's reach from 30% to full development lifecycle- AI readiness gap = delta between adoption speed and organizational capacity- The bottleneck is behavior, not infrastructure- Four dimensions determine AI success: focus, technical practices, product health, customer feedback- Miss one dimension and you stall, miss two and you suffer, miss four and you fail- Companies with strong fundamentals see 4X better AI results than those without- Elite XP teams correct mistakes in one week; canonical enterprises take a quarter- AI becomes an expensive accelerator for your failure without readiness🗣️ KEY QUOTES:"They were 19% slower while believing they were 20% faster.""AI amplifies what you have in the company.""Driving a Ferrari Enzo at 200 mph with 45% brakes—that's your AI adoption gap.""If developers don't have the cognitive capacity to supervise AI, you're dead on arrival.""Spec-driven development turns AI into a real co-pilot.""Miss one dimension and you stall. Miss two and you suffer. Miss four and you fail.""Stop embracing AI blindly. Start being aware."---🎯 READY TO CLOSE THE GAP?Get your FREE AI-Readiness Assessment for your software team.One number showing where you stand across 4 dimensions. Zero cost.👉 https://brix.consulting/free-ai-readiness-assessment/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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🎙️ EP80 - The AI Coding Illusion: Why Speed Without Fundamentals Is a Death Spiral
In this episode, Michele (Mike) Brissoni explores the challenges and realities of software development in the age of AI. He discusses the historical context of coding productivity, the impact of Agile and DevOps methodologies, and the effects of remote work on developer efficiency. Brissoni emphasizes the importance of fundamentals over tools, highlighting the silent killers of productivity such as multitasking and environmental noise. He uses the automotive industry as a case study to illustrate the consequences of neglecting software fundamentals and calls for a reevaluation of how organizations approach AI adoption and developer training.💡 KEY INSIGHTS:- AI is revolutionizing software development but poses significant challenges- Developers spend minimal time actually coding, often less than 10%- Agile methodology, while promoting collaboration, can hinder productivity- Remote work has both benefits and drawbacks for developer focus- AI tools can exacerbate existing issues in coding practices- Mind wandering and multitasking significantly reduce developer productivity- Automotive industry exemplifies dangers of prioritizing speed over fundamentals- Strong organizational fundamentals lead to 4x better performance with AI- Companies must assess AI readiness and developer fundamentals- A shift from tools to foundational practices is essential for success🗣️ KEY QUOTES:"Coding is NOT the bottleneck. Indeed devs spend 10 to max 39% of their time actually coding!""We have destroyed them even before start coding.""We need AI free days to prevent skill atrophy.""Companies with strong fundamentals achieve almost four times the performance of companies without them when adopting AI."---🎯 READY TO FACE THE TRUTH?Get your FREE AI-Readiness Quick Scan for software teams.Clear data on where your team stands. Zero cost.👉 https://brix.consulting/free-ai-readiness-assessment/⚠️ Only 3 spots remaining for Q4 2025---📝 DEEP DIVE ARTICLE:Full written analysis drops Thursday on Substack & LinkedInSubscribe: https://theforgeofunicorns.substack.com/---ABOUT THE FORGE OF UNICORNS:Weekly insights for C-level executives, PE/VC leaders, and board members on building elite software organizations. 80+ episodes analyzing what really works in the AI era—backed by data from 130 people who built 52 unicorns.Host: Michele (Mike) Brissoni Background: F1-inspired behavioral engineering for software teams. 15+ years building the Software Craftsmanship Dojo. Engineer by training (robotics, telecom, software). Zero tolerance for mediocrity.Mission: Elevate software development to F1-level mastery through systematic behavioral engineering.🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes 📧 Join the newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-forge-of-unicorns-7184097792242458624/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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🎙️ EP79 - How to build the 1% Elite Developers!
Your $10M AI investment produces garbage code because you hired mediocre, trained badly, and blamed developers when production burned. Not their fault. Yours. This episode explores how leadership and organizational behavior shape software engineering teams—and why understanding the dynamics between teamwork, coding discipline, and behavioral transformation determines whether your software development succeeds or fails.I reveal the Software Craftsmanship Dojo, the behavioral transformation system that turns broken teams into 1% Elite performers—using the same neuroscience that transforms terrified kids into confident martial artists.🥋 THE 6 PARALLELS:→ Repetition creates instinct (not compliance)→ Fundamentals before frameworks (or 3 AM calls never stop)→ Sparring = pair programming (safe failure builds mastery)→ Belt system = KBI progression (measurable transformation)→ Sensei = cultural rewiring (mirror neurons & role model)→ Respect → Ownership (discipline builds elite mindset)💡 KEY INSIGHTS:- Why Key Behavioral Indicators predict team failure before production burns- The hostile environment paradox: build the 1% without executive buy-in- How grassroots transformation works when leadership won't act- Why AWS certifications and Agile workshops fail (training ≠ transformation)- The neuroscience of identity shift through deliberate practice🎯 WHO THIS IS FOR:- CTOs tired of being told it's a "people problem"- Engineering leaders drowning in production incidents- VPs watching AI investments produce zero ROI- Anyone building software teams in hostile environments---🎯 READY TO FACE THE TRUTH?Get your FREE AI-Readiness Quick Scan for software teams.Clear data on where your team stands. Zero cost.👉 https://brix.consulting/free-ai-readiness-assessment/⚠️ Only 3 spots remaining for Q4 2025---📝 DEEP DIVE ARTICLE:Full written analysis drops Thursday on Substack & LinkedInSubscribe: https://theforgeofunicorns.substack.com/---ABOUT THE FORGE OF UNICORNS:Weekly insights for C-level executives, PE/VC leaders, and board members on building elite software organizations. 77+ episodes analyzing what really works in the AI era—backed by data from 130 people who built 52 unicorns.Host: Michele (Mike) Brissoni Background: F1-inspired behavioral engineering for software teams. 15+ years building the Software Craftsmanship Dojo. Engineer by training (robotics, telecom, software). Zero tolerance for mediocrity.Mission: Elevate software development to F1-level mastery through systematic behavioral engineering.🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes 📧 Join the newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-forge-of-unicorns-7184097792242458624/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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🎙️ EP78 - The 1% Problem | Why AI Can't Save Your Company
Three years after ChatGPT's release, $2.5 trillion wasted in 2024 alone. Forecast for 2027? $4 trillion. Meanwhile, 38% burnout rate, 77% disengaged workforce, and 90% failure rate on digital transformations.After 77 episodes analyzing 130 people who built 52 unicorns, one pattern emerged: The bottleneck isn't AI, Agile, or capital. It's the 1% problem—the extreme scarcity of people capable of executing at elite level.This episode is different. No guest. Just me and one year of brutal research findings. The patterns nobody wants to hear. The truth about why AI amplifies dysfunction instead of solving it.---🎯 WHO SHOULD LISTEN:CEOs wrestling with failed digital transformationsCTOs scaling teams but losing qualityVCs/PEs analyzing portfolio performanceBoard members demanding ROI from AI investmentsEngineering leaders tired of mediocrityIf you've invested millions in AI tools and seen minimal results, this explains why.---📊 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:- Why 52 unicorns all pointed to the same bottleneck (and it's not technology)- The 1% paradox: How talent scarcity lowered hiring standards to catastrophic levels- Why IT/software lacks the professional standards that make medicine and engineering reliable- How AI acts as a mirror—amplifying excellence OR weaponizing dysfunction at scale- The three-layer filtering system that separates elite performers from the 99%- Why digital transformation fatigue is structural, not temporary- How generative culture beats process-heavy bureaucracy every single time- The real cost of accepting mediocrity: $2.5T wasted and climbing---🔥 KEY INSIGHTS:"AI doesn't fail because of technology. It fails because of who uses it.""You can't buy the 1%. You have to build them.""Small elite teams always beat large bloated organizations.""77% of employees are disengaged.""38% burnout rate is alarming." ---🫵 READY TO FACE THE TRUTH?Get your FREE AI-Readiness Quick Scan for software teams.Clear data on where your team stands. Zero cost.👉 https://brix.consulting/free-ai-readiness-assessment/⚠️ Only 3 spots remaining for Q4 2025---📝 DEEP DIVE ARTICLE:Full written analysis drops Thursday on Substack & LinkedInSubscribe: https://theforgeofunicorns.substack.com/---ABOUT THE FORGE OF UNICORNS:Weekly insights for C-level executives, PE/VC leaders, and board members on building elite software organizations. 77+ episodes analyzing what really works in the AI era—backed by data from 130 people who built 52 unicorns.Host: Michele (Mike) Brissoni Background: F1-inspired behavioral engineering for software teams. 15+ years building the Software Craftsmanship Dojo. Engineer by training (robotics, telecom, software). Zero tolerance for mediocrity.Mission: Elevate software development to F1-level mastery through systematic behavioral engineering.🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes 📧 Join the newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-forge-of-unicorns-7184097792242458624/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Über The Forge 🔥 of Unicorns - by Michele Brissoni
Welcome to The Forge 🔥 of Unicorns — the podcast where digital evolution meets elite performance. 🚀I’m Michele Brissoni (Mike) — Tech Advisor, Fractional CTO, and Board-Level Strategist.Over the past two decades, I’ve invented models and frameworks that have reshaped how organizations evolve in the software era:BOKaRy 📈 — our latest innovation, a Behavioral-OKR governance framework bridging vision, behavior, and delivery to generate exceptional ROI for boards, CEOs, and investors.SW Craftsmanship Dojo® 🥋 — born in the elite world of engineering excellence at Ferrari Formula 1 during the glorious Michael Schumacher era, evolved into a behavior-engineered continuous active learning system for elite software craftsmanship.Unicorns’ Ecosystem 🦄 — a predictable, holistic model born to fight the de-facto standard of mediocracy in IT, which kills more organizations than anything else. By fusing behavioral science, neuroscience, and organizational psychology, it combats the hidden killers while igniting elite IT performance.Born from decades of research and experimentation, these models guarantee zero disruption and measurable outcomes. They have already guided thousands of developers, C-level leaders, and Fortune 500 organizations in industries ranging from finance and healthcare to transport and telecom.Each episode of The Forge of Unicorns delivers:🎙️ Bold conversations with CEOs, investors, and technical leaders.🧭 Actionable strategies to escape failed transformations and achieve real evolution.🤖 AI mastery without the hype — practical frameworks to harness AI for measurable outcomes, not inflated promises.🧠 Behavioral insights rooted in 20+ years of research and practice.💡 Survival toolkits for boards, managers, developers, and agilists facing burnout, disengagement, and stalled revenues.In today’s volatile digital landscape, transformation alone is not enough. To survive, thrive, and secure the future, organizations need systems engineered for resilience, clarity, and exponential performance. That’s what this podcast is about.👉 Want more? Subscribe to The Forge of Unicorns Newsletter 📰 for deep dives, case studies, and more: go.brix.consulting/ForgeOfUnicorns.Stop merely following the herd of transformations by the book!Start true evolution of your organization towards elite 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟Powered by Acast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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