The Digital Lighthouse

Softwire

The Digital Lighthouse is a podcast for CTOs and other tech leaders looking to navigate their organization through endless disruption and turbulence. Packed full of real life stories and insights, this podcast serves as your guiding light - wherever you are in your journey and whatever challenges you face.

  1. Why digital transformation rarely goes to plan

    13 MAY

    Why digital transformation rarely goes to plan

    Why do so many transformation programmes fail? And what does it take to actually deliver change at scale? In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, Zoe Cunningham speaks with Andy Burton, a technology leader with over 30 years of experience delivering large-scale digital transformation across industries including insurance, retail, and online gaming. Andy has held senior roles at organisations including Sky Betting & Gaming, The Very Group, and most recently esure, where he led a multi-year transformation to replatform the business and build a modern, digital-first insurer. They explore what transformation really looks like in practice. While many organisations begin with clear plans and ambitious timelines, the reality is far messier. External events, legacy constraints, and constant change mean even the best plans rarely survive intact. Andy shares what made the esure transformation successful, why many programmes go awry before the final step, and what it really means to become “digital on the inside”.

    26 min
  2. Why leaders need to create space for thinking

    14 APR

    Why leaders need to create space for thinking

    In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, host Zoe Cunningham speaks with Paul Spiers, founder of The New P&L Institute and host of The New P&L podcast. Zoe and Paul explore how leaders can create the conditions for better thinking, creativity, and innovation in a world shaped by constant change and emerging technologies. While organisations often say they value curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity, Paul explains why many fail to create the space needed for those qualities to thrive. Instead, speed and efficiency dominate, limiting long term innovation. Paul shares how leaders can focus on self awareness, purpose, and culture to drive better outcomes. They also discuss why context matters when introducing AI, why leadership behaviour shapes culture, and how small, consistent actions can transform both individuals and organisations. Why organisations struggle to enable creativity and innovationWhy self awareness is the foundation of effective leadershipWhy context shapes how employees respond to AIHow leaders can create space for better thinkingWhy culture, leadership, and technology must be alignedHow small, consistent actions drive meaningful change

    27 min
  3. Why AI is like a highly motivated intern

    24 MAR

    Why AI is like a highly motivated intern

    Host Zoe Cunningham speaks with Steve Burrows, a global product delivery and technology leader with more than 20 years of experience delivering digital platforms and transformation programmes across industries. Zoe and Steve explore how organisations can actually capture value from AI in complex environments. While excitement around generative AI is high, many initiatives struggle because they begin with the technology rather than the problem. Drawing on his experience across consulting, product development, and delivery, Steve explains why the most successful AI implementations start by understanding users and mapping workflows. Instead of replacing people, AI works best when it removes repetitive work and allows humans to focus on judgment, creativity, and decision-making. He also shares a practical way to think about AI: treat it like a highly motivated intern. Useful for many tasks, but still requiring oversight, guardrails, and human judgment. Why successful AI adoption starts with the problem, not the technology Why many AI initiatives fail due to unrealistic expectations How to identify the right workflows for AI automation Why AI works best when it removes repetitive work but keeps humans in control Why treating AI like a highly motivated intern is a useful mindset Why agile delivery is essential when working with rapidly evolving technology

    25 min
  4. Why AI creates knowledge debt and how leaders stay in control with Macs Dickinson

    11 FEB

    Why AI creates knowledge debt and how leaders stay in control with Macs Dickinson

    Host Zoe Cunningham speaks with Macs Dickinson, Director of Engineering at LHV Bank on the challenge many technology leaders are facing as AI tools become embedded in everyday work. While generative AI can accelerate delivery, it can also create a hidden risk: knowledge debt. The loss of deep system understanding when teams rely too heavily on generated outputs.   Drawing on his experience in highly regulated industries including banking and gambling, Macs explains why “fail fast” does not translate to environments where reliability and accountability are critical. He shares how his teams are adopting machine learning and AI agents safely, starting with narrow internal use cases, building strong guardrails, and ensuring engineers retain ownership of what they ship.   Discover: Why AI can speed up delivery while increasing long term risk Why regulated industries require a different mindset for AI adoption How machine learning models can be governed through monitoring and human review Why generative AI is harder to test than traditional software How starting small reduces risk and builds organisational learning Why ownership and understanding still matter in AI assisted engineering

    28 min
  5. AI and tech revolutions: why we’ve been here before | Jamie Dobson

    8 JAN

    AI and tech revolutions: why we’ve been here before | Jamie Dobson

    In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, host Zoe Cunningham speaks with Jamie Dobson, founder of cloud consultancy Container Solutions and author of Visionaries, Rebels and Machines. Zoe and Jamie explore how technology really evolves. They discuss why innovation has never been a solo pursuit, why leadership and management matter as much as scientific breakthroughs, and why many of today’s debates around AI echo arguments that have played out before. Drawing on examples from Edison and Oppenheimer to Amazon and modern cloud platforms, Jamie explains why users, not inventors, ultimately determine how technologies succeed or fail. He also shares practical lessons for today’s technology leaders on building real cloud and AI capability, removing organisational bottlenecks, and navigating periods of rapid change. Discover Why technological breakthroughs are built by teams, not lone geniuses Why leadership and management are central to successful innovation How cloud computing emerged by removing barriers for developers Why users shape the future of technology more than its creators What past technology transitions can teach us about today’s AI moment Why preparing for AI is fundamentally a people and capability challenge

    26 min
  6. Navigating the messy middle of tech projects with Rachael Morgan

    11/12/2025

    Navigating the messy middle of tech projects with Rachael Morgan

    In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, host Zoe Cunningham speaks with Rachael Morgan, an experienced Head of Technology. She has worked in different industries, from the NHS, betting and gaming, and is currently in finance. Zoe and Rachael dive into a challenge every technology leader will recognise. Between the excitement of project kick-off and the celebration of delivery lies an unpredictable and challenging phase that often determines success or failure. Rachael calls this the messy middle. It is the period where unknowns surface, processes expand or falter, and teams must navigate complexity while maintaining momentum. Drawing on her experience across regulated industries and large-scale engineering environments, Rachael explains why tech projects get messy, why process alone cannot fix it, and why the human element always sits at the heart of delivery. She also shares the leadership practices and mindsets that help teams survive and thrive through the toughest parts of a project. Discover Why even well-planned technology projects face a messy delivery phase, and why this is normal How process frameworks like Agile, Lean, and ITIL help. and where they create accidental complexity The dangers of both over-processing and under-processing, and how to find the Goldilocks zone of “just enough” structure Why technology problems are nearly always human problems in disguise How leaders can understand individual strengths and use them to improve delivery outcomes Why continuous communication and simple metrics are critical to spotting real delivery risk early The importance of self-awareness in leadership and how regular reflection helps leaders navigate uncertainty and emotion more effectively

    31 min
  7. From good to great: The secrets of team effectiveness with Sean Riches

    05/11/2025

    From good to great: The secrets of team effectiveness with Sean Riches

    What separates a good team from a truly great one? In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, host Zoe Cunningham sits down with Sean Riches, founder and managing director of Erskine Nash Associates, to explore the science and psychology behind high-performing teams.   With over 20 years’ experience in leadership, organisational psychology, and consultancy, Sean has worked with global giants like Vodafone, Oracle, Microsoft, and TCS. Through his CAB model — Clarity, Alignment, Behaviour — he helps leaders and teams move beyond competence to excellence.   Together, Zoe and Sean unpack the real drivers of team effectiveness, from psychological safety to behavioural alignment, and share practical ways to measure and improve performance across thinking and feeling dimensions.   In this episode, discover: The five key traits of high-performing teams (from Google’s Project Aristotle) How to measure both the cognitive and emotional sides of team effectiveness Why clarity, alignment, and behaviour are the foundation of lasting performance How leaders can overcome fear, complexity, and disengagement Real-world techniques for assessing and improving team dynamics If you enjoy this episode, please follow The Digital Lighthouse and we'd appreciate a quick rating or review. Your feedback helps us continue bringing you expert insights on leadership, technology, and the future of work.

    30 min
  8. Why ensemble working builds stronger engineering teams with Clare Sudbery | The Digital Lighthouse

    06/10/2025

    Why ensemble working builds stronger engineering teams with Clare Sudbery | The Digital Lighthouse

    In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, host Zoe Cunningham talks with Clare Sudbery — independent technical coach, consultant, and international speaker with over 25 years in software engineering. Clare has worked across healthcare, insurance, and travel, and now helps technical teams boost performance through clarity, alignment, and collaboration. Together they explore ensemble working — also known as mob programming or software teaming — and why it’s a powerful shift from solo coding to true collective problem-solving. Clare explains how ensemble working speeds up delivery, reduces risk, and builds stronger, kinder teams that learn faster and work better together. Discover: What ensemble working is and how it extends pair programming Why complex systems demand collaboration, not heroics How agile and XP principles shape ensemble practices The hidden costs of handoffs and meetings — and how to remove them Why onboarding, training, and new features are ideal starting points How kindness and fast feedback drive high performance See Clare live on 16 October at Outpace Conf Manchester → outpaceconf.com

    37 min
See All (85)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

The Digital Lighthouse is a podcast for CTOs and other tech leaders looking to navigate their organization through endless disruption and turbulence. Packed full of real life stories and insights, this podcast serves as your guiding light - wherever you are in your journey and whatever challenges you face.

Information

  • Creator
    Softwire
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Softwire
  • Show Website
    The Digital Lighthouse