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Shawn Skonberg

New York

Shawn Skonberg is a technology leader and writer focused on AI, productivity, security, and leadership. He authors Save our Systems, a blog for tech-savvy professionals, and holds an MBA in IT Management.

Microsoft Builds In-House AI Models to Cut OpenAI Costs

Microsoft Builds In-House AI Models to Cut OpenAI Costs

When Microsoft took the stage at its Build developer conference on June 2, 2026, the headline was not a new partnership but a declaration of independence: a family of seven in-house "MAI" models spanning reasoning, coding, voice, image, and transcription.[1][2] The launch, led by Microsoft AI

Two professionals handing over documents and keys, symbolizing succession planning and a smooth leadership transition.

Succession Planning at Every Level: Build a Team That Lasts

Could Your Team Survive Your Vacation? The Real Test of Succession Planning Take two weeks off. Turn off your phone, set the out of office, and tell no one how to reach you. Now ask the honest question: would your team still be standing when you came back, or would

Imposter Syndrome at Work: A Systems View & Playbook

Imposter Syndrome at Work: A Systems View & Playbook

When the Real Problem Isn't You: Rethinking Imposter Syndrome as a System Signal Around 70 percent of workers will experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers, according to research first cited in the International Journal of Behavioral Science. A Hays survey of more than 8,000

Delegation Anxiety: A New Manager's Guide to Letting Go

Delegation Anxiety: A New Manager's Guide to Letting Go

The first time you hand off a piece of work you used to own, something strange happens. You know the right answer in your head. You know what good looks like, because you used to be the one delivering it. And yet you find yourself refreshing your inbox, mentally rewriting

Everyone Wants Feedback. Almost No One Feels Safe Giving It.

Everyone Wants Feedback. Almost No One Feels Safe Giving It.

Ask people whether they want feedback at work and the answer is almost unanimous. In a Workleap survey, 96% of workers said regular feedback benefits them, and 83% said they appreciate it whether the message is flattering or hard to hear. Now ask whether they actually feel safe giving honest

Your Team Already Knows What's Broken. Can They Tell You?

Your Team Already Knows What's Broken. Can They Tell You?

The Phrase That's Killing Your Team's Early Warning System "Don't bring me problems. Bring me solutions." It is the kind of line that gets quoted on LinkedIn over a black-and-white photo of someone in a suit. It sounds decisive. It sounds like

The Translation Layer: Why Leadership Messages Fail and How Middle Managers Can Save Them

The Translation Layer: Why Leadership Messages Fail and How Middle Managers Can Save Them

Only 7 percent of American employees strongly agree that the communication coming from their leadership is accurate, timely, and open. That figure, surfaced again and again in Gallup's State of the American Workplace research, is one of the most damning numbers in corporate life. It says that 93