How Engineering Leaders Should Think About Career Growth

When I speak with engineering leaders about growth, people lead with WHAT they want to do. These conversations become more interesting when I put my coaching hat on to dig into what’s motivating them and WHY. People define “growth” and getting to the “next level” differently. Plus, your motivations evolve with you; we’re all a work in progress! The one thing I know for sure is that your values are a dependable guide as you navigate your career.

So, how can you tap into your spirit, purpose, and values to figure out what growth means to you? Here are some questions to consider:

1. What values are most present for me now?
2. What is my purpose??
3. What about my work gives me energy??
4. What about my work takes away my energy??
5. Is my potential being met??
6. What part of me longs to be seen? And by whom?
7. How will I know when I've reached my potential? What will that feel like??
8. What does fulfillment mean to me?

Spoiler alert…personal and professional “growth” doesn’t necessarily come with a title. Optics and ego typically drive the desire for a specific title. Real growth comes from within. You may have worked your whole career to obtain a CTO job, and once you’ve held that role, it may become less desirable! Tapping into new areas of growth is a lifelong pursuit. In my fifteen+ years of working with engineers, here are ten common drivers for a career transition I hear from engineering leaders:

• Industry - A desire to learn about a new industry, which brings new problems to solve, new businesses to understand, and new lingo
• Mission - A desire for your work to have a real positive impact on the world?
• Team size - A desire to manage fewer teams or no people at all; Or to manage larger teams?
• Technical challenges - The problems you're solving aren't intellectually challenging enough
• People - A desire to work with new people and learn from them
• Board / Advisor - To step out of an operating role and become an advisor or independent board member?
• Stage - A desire to experience the challenges of a different stage company. For example:?To go on a scaling journey with a venture-backed startup and join a pre-market fit; To join at the hyper-growth stage and help take a company public; To change from working at Venture-backed startups to working at a Public company, or vice-versa?
• Founder - A desire to start your own company
• Visibility & Impact - A desire to have a "seat at the table," moving closer to business and product strategy
• Scope / Function - A desire for a broader scope of responsibility. For example: Leading engineering for one part of the business to owning it all; Taking on a new function, such as product management, or data

Articulating your values will help cut through ambiguity and empower you to know what you stand for and what you want out of your career. Transitions are more successful when guided by your values and can steer you toward authentic fulfillment. When you are aligned with your values, your purpose becomes clear. You can define what you’re genuinely seeking and, most importantly, WHY.