To what extent does the use of SQL as a universal language across data automation tools contribute to their integration and overall effectiveness?

For us specifically, no. In general, yes. 

To use Calixa, we don’t want you to have to know SQL. We want it to have the broadest audience and we want it to consume the data that’s already been transformed by the data team. Setting up sync should just be a UI mapping exercise. 

I haven't come across a situation where somebody says, "Oh, I have these things in these two tables,” I say, "Well, you should use something like dbt,” and they're like, "Oh, yeah, that makes sense. I'll go do that." We haven't hit any nasty roadblocks.

SQL as a lingua franca is helpful because most people can understand it enough, but I actually think it's a failure for us to have to drop to that level. I would like it at a point where it is just a trivial, simple mapping exercise, and we take care of the rest.