Podcast Summary

The Digital Executive – Ep 1070

Guest: Michel Langlois
Host: Coruzant Technologies
Episode Title: Beyond the Code: Michel Langlois on Human-Centric Leadership and the Future of Tech
Date: June 6, 2025

Overview

In this insightful episode, technology executive Michel Langlois—former CTO and SVP at Calix Networks, with a storied career at Cisco and Juniper Networks—joins host Coruzant Technologies to share leadership lessons from transforming some of the world’s most influential networking companies. Drawing from his new book, "Beyond the Code: Unveiling the Human Factor in Technology Leadership Innovation," Langlois discusses the evolution of human-centric leadership in technology, navigating disruption, harnessing innovation, and preparing for the AI-driven future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Evolution of Leadership Across Companies

(01:33–06:18)

• Contrast Between Companies:
  Langlois compares leadership and challenges at Cisco, Juniper Networks, and Calix.

  • Cisco:
    • Early Internet boom: leadership was deeply technical, building foundational technologies.
    • Post-dotcom bust: shifted focus from motivation via rewards to rebuilding trust and operational efficiency.
    • Learned to lead through adversity: “Rebuilding the business…we had to become much more efficient. We learned how to do partnership on a global scale. It became much more into how do you have a common sense of purpose…” (A, 02:40)
  • Juniper Networks:
    • Company needed process transformation and quality at scale.
    • Came from a competitor (Cisco), so had to build mutual trust with teams.
    • Adopted collaborative approach: “Instead of me telling you what to do, we're going to build a roadmap together and I'm going to look at your pain point…” (A, 04:06)
    • Used the metaphor: “It's like building a bridge. You can start from both sides, but if you don't connect in the middle, everybody is going to look at this as being really ugly…” (A, 04:44)
  • Calix:
    • Company needed to pivot to software focus and customer centricity during disruptive times like COVID.
    • Managed seasoned teams with a legacy "survivor" mindset.
    • Injected new leadership and perspectives to transform the product and how the company engaged with its market.
    • “It was like building a startup company, public company if you want. But there was no safety net.” (A, 05:44)

• Leadership Philosophy Evolution:
  Transitioned from technical focus to people and purpose-driven leadership, emphasizing inclusivity, communication, and shared context for decisions.

2. Motivation for Writing ‘Beyond the Code’

(07:15–10:10)

• Bridging a Gap:
  Inspired by questions from young engineers about reaching executive roles and the lack of practical guides for leading large tech organizations.

  • “I thought there was a void there that I wanted to add the passion to do.” (A, 08:32)

• Focus on the Human Factor:
  Rejects the notion that AI or technology can replace the need for motivated, courageous, and compassionate teams:

  • “AI is like the dot com or the software defined networking. It's a technology that had radical implication. It's disruptive...But ultimately it's what we're going to do with it.” (A, 09:07)
  • Stresses that managerial success comes from supporting colleagues and learning from failures: “Learn from your mistake and don't do it three times in a row. That's the key.” (A, 09:50)

• Practical Leadership Lessons:
  Draws on his upbringing and early career, relating leading teams to practical, communal work on the farm.

3. Calix’s Transformation and Innovative Edge

(11:01–14:38)

• Software Defined Access (SDA):
  Introduced intelligence and adaptability at the network edge, transforming the ‘dumb pipe’ into a flexible, cloud-managed service for consumers.

  • “Our first goal was to say remove all the constraint of access. It should be adaptive, it should be able to be first real able...it should become completely transparent for the subscriber.” (A, 11:18)

• Customer Experience Focus:
  Designed solutions for the end-user, making the home network as reliable and effortless as a utility.

  • “If you've been in your home like I am, I'm the IT person in my home and every time the Internet was going down, the kids will scream at me...So why don't we fix the wireless?” (A, 12:05)
  • Introduced cloud-based analytics to predict and resolve issues before customers notice.

• Competitive Differentiation:
  Outmaneuvered giants like Nokia by being nimbler, releasing updates four times a year, and closely engaging with customers.

4. The Future of Networking, Software, and Leadership

(15:21–19:28)

• Exponential Integration of Technology:
  Sees the next era accelerating innovation, thanks to AI-driven tools and market analysis.

  • “Your ability as a, let's say as a small company to integrate technology from others is going to be multiplied by 10x...” (A, 15:23)
  • “I'm so jealous when I see the tools available today...You can analyze a market, you can build a business plan, you can validate some assumption...in a matter of, what, minutes.” (A, 15:33)

• Quality and Efficiency through AI:
  Predicts 20–40% of code being generated by AI, with human engineers dedicating more energy to innovation rather than repetitive work.

• Shifts in Partnerships and Go-To-Market:
  New funding and collaboration models will emerge, and speed-to-market will hinge on being a systems integrator, not just an inventor.

• Customer-Centricity is Paramount:
  “Gone are the days where you go to a customer with a product saying, 'Oh, I'm inventing fire.' Our customer is really well informed...” (A, 17:35)

• Diversity in Workforce:
  Warns against age bias, calling for inclusive teams blending varied experiences for lasting market leadership.

  • “The company that will succeed in the future will be the one that enlists the best brain and different age. Integrate them together, rally them...” (A, 18:55)

• Human Element Remains Essential:
  Expresses hope for regulation and thoughtful integration of AI, so technology augments rather than displaces human potential.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On post-dotcom leadership:
  “I learned after that to manage people. Before that it was easy. You were throwing reward and stock and people were motivated...after that it was like how do I rebuild the trust with people that doubt there is a future in the company anymore.” (A, 02:35)

• On collaborative leadership:
  “We're going to build a roadmap together and I'm going to look at your pain point...we'll stitch this roadmap together and we'll carry through.” (A, 04:10)

• On AI’s real impact:
  “AI is like the dot com...it’s disruptive, it will create good, it would create also bad. But ultimately it’s what we’re going to do with it.” (A, 09:08)

• On customer experience:
  “The subscriber [should be able] to enjoy the services they need and the networking... without having to worry about is this thing going to work tomorrow.” (A, 12:34)

• On the future of teams:
  “The company that will succeed in the future will be the one that enlists the best brain and different age. Integrate them together, rally them...” (A, 18:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:33 – Leadership evolution from Cisco to Juniper to Calix
• 07:15 – Motivation behind ‘Beyond the Code’
• 11:01 – Calix’s transformation through SDA and cloud analytics
• 15:21 – Predictions for networking/software: AI, partnerships, and customer-centricity
• 18:55 – The essential value of diverse, inclusive teams

Tone and Language

The conversation blends Michel Langlois’ seasoned, practical wisdom with candor and storytelling—balancing technical insights and human experience in leadership. The tone is thoughtful, supportive, and forward-looking, with frequent anecdotes and memorable metaphors (“like building a bridge…”).

Summary Takeaways

• Technology leadership evolves from technical mastery to empathetic, human-centered guidance—especially in turbulent times.
• Building and maintaining trust are the cornerstones of successful transformations.
• Innovating at scale requires customer-centricity, agility, and an openness to new organizational models and partnerships.
• AI and automation are enablers—but will never supplant the motivation, creativity, and compassion of human teams.
• Future-ready organizations value inclusion, diverse experience, and constant reinvention.