Being a Senior: Beyond the Competency Framework
By Ajeet Ganga
Abstract: This piece delves into the nuanced responsibilities of senior engineers and engineering managers, emphasizing that their roles transcend a mere checklist of competencies. It underscores the importance of prioritizing team objectives over personal accolades and advocates for a shared accountability ethos within teams.
"Building Software is a team sport!" – Old saying
Revisiting the Competency Paradigm: In the dynamic landscape of performance and promotions, it becomes evident that the essence of an engineer's or engineering manager's role cannot be fully encapsulated within a static list of competencies. These competencies, while foundational, are not exhaustive indicators of success at higher echelons. Drawing from Martin Fowler's philosophy, we see that technical prowess is a starting point, but true leadership is demonstrated through influence, vision, and the ability to foster a thriving team environment.
Principle 1: Triumph as a Collective
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The ethos of team sports provides a fitting analogy here. Individual milestones, while commendable, do not equate to team success. This is akin to a cricketer scoring a century in a losing match – an impressive feat, yet not aligned with the ultimate goal. In the professional realm, the celebration of individual achievements takes a back seat to the collective meeting of objectives (OKRs) and service level agreements (SLAs). Senior professionals, therefore, must be evaluated within the context of their team's overall health and performance.
Principle 2: Accountability for the Unseen
A key aspect often overlooked is accountability for actions not taken or opportunities missed. This retrospective approach, echoed in the thoughts of industry leaders, involves reviewing not only what was accomplished but also what could have been done better. This includes proposed process improvements, technological adoptions, and the mitigation of interpersonal conflicts. The aim is to foster a culture where continuous improvement is as valued as direct achievements.
Shared Accountability: A Core Tenet Echoing the sentiment that 'success has many parents, while failure is an orphan', we advocate for a shared accountability model. Understanding and addressing the root causes of failures become more manageable when the responsibility is collectively owned. This approach aligns with modern leadership theories that emphasize collective problem-solving and shared successes.
Blurring Lines Between Roles In today's agile work environments, the distinction between a senior individual contributor (IC) and an Engineering Manager is increasingly fluid, except in the realm of direct reports. Senior engineers should be equipped to represent their teams, tackle blockers, and drive success, just as effectively as their managerial counterparts. This shared responsibility extends to nurturing team health, meeting SLAs, and cultivating a positive team culture.
Nirvana | Ex-Uber | IIT (BHU) CSE
1 年Good points Ajeet. Besides this, senior ICs also set the "tone" or "culture" of the team since junior ICs look upto them for, possibly, everything. Be it pushing back against anything unreasonable(even to those higher up the hierarchy) to making everyone feel included and comfortable, the actions of a senior ultimately get reflected in the rest of the team. As hard as we try to change the perception towards managers, a senior IC is considered "one of their own by the juniors". An article on how the managerial role is changing in the present tech industry would perfectly complement this article. :)