Highlights
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I’ll unpack the staff engineer role by looking at what I think of as its three pillars: big-picture thinking, execution of projects, and leveling up the engineers you work with. Big-picture thinking Big-picture thinking means being able to step back and take a broader view. It means seeing beyond the immediate details and understanding the context that you’re working in. It also means thinking beyond the current time, whether that means initiating yearlong projects, building software that will be easy to decommission, or predicting what your company will need in three years.5 Execution At the staff level, the projects you take on will become messier and more ambiguous. They’ll involve more people and need more political capital, influence, or culture change to succeed. Leveling up Every increase in seniority comes with more responsibility for raising the standards and skills of the engineers within your orbit, whether that’s your local team, colleagues in your organization, or engineers across your whole company or industry. This responsibility will include intentional influence through teaching and mentoring, as well as the accidental influence that comes from being a role model. ^ref-3885 Page: 11
To become adept at big-picture thinking, execute on bigger projects, and level up everyone around you, you’re going to need “humaning” skills, like: Communication and leadership Navigating complexity Putting your work in perspective Mentorship, sponsorship, and delegation Framing a problem so that other people care about it Acting like a leader whether you feel like one or not6