Growth mindset in the engineering profession – working reactively or proactively
Suffering from the reaction
For a long time, I found myself buried in endless daily chores, like fixing bugs, completing sprint tickets, and doing whatever my boss asked me to do. I was obedient to my JIRA tickets as if I were working on an automobile assembly line without understanding much about vehicles.
Two words defined my work during this period: repetitive and busy. I’ve worked hard, but I barely understand where I’m headed.
For example, I had to stay up until 7pm to fix product issues, which often happened three times a week. My manager was asking me to prepare a progress report on the project by the end of the day, but I had an “urgent” product issue to fix on my hands. I hope to be able to write the report by 8pm.
I often complained about the heavy workload, constant production issues, and the understaffed team. Even after he became an engineering manager, the situation remained the same.
I once told my coach that I was buried in a hundred tasks. I have a lot of things I should do, but I don’t have time for the things I want to do.
To address the issue of work-life balance, there are many options we can explore, such as delegating tasks within the team or improving time management. However, there is something else I would like to discuss.
I found that I wasn’t growing as quickly as I used to. While my day job was fulfilling, I still felt somewhat lost. I started asking myself how I can learn and grow faster from the hectic daily routine and what really matters to me.
Growth by being proactive
First and foremost, have an ownership mindset
Treat the business as if you were the business owner. Always seek to understand the context and reasons behind the task. Find the motivation to do your best, and make sure the work is done to the highest standard.
At the same time, I remind myself to always ask these questions before diving into tasks:
Is it really important?
Should I spend hours fixing a low-impact production issue because the person who reported it is vocal, or should I focus my energy on improving a slow API that hundreds of thousands of users use daily?
Let’s take another example: As software engineers, we are all concerned with choosing the best technologies, maintaining high code quality, and using the most advanced development tools. We usually agree that these things are important (for engineers).
However, from a business perspective, do these things really matter? If you spend half your allotted quarterly time on research, proof of concept (PoC) and advocating for “better” technology without considering business value, you are unlikely to get recognition from senior leadership.
What will bring the most value to my growth? What skills should I learn to achieve my future career goals?
Different stages of a career require different skills. I shouldn’t spend most of my time doing the same things I was good at five years ago.
As an engineering leader, I have many skills to learn that I did not need as a software engineer, including negotiation, presentation, and strategies to amplify team impact across multiple organizations while identifying opportunities to showcase effective teamwork and results.
If I want to become a great executive leader, I need to acquire new skills, too. I need to focus on gaining a business perspective, understanding the pain points of a larger organization, and thinking about how I can help the company grow.
Should I do the work myself or train someone else to do it?
When I observe a lot of people’s growth paths, I notice a pattern: first, you become an expert at something; Then train others to become experts; Finally, delegate the task to them.
By uplifting others and freeing myself from my current tasks, I can take on more responsibilities and learn new skills. It’s a win-win situation.
Preventing discomfort with repetitive work
Repeating the same task a thousand times will not help me grow or feel satisfied. Learning new skills, changing mindset, and having a higher vision will be important.
I used to be a JIRA ticket engine, focused on delivering features or bug fixes to QA one by one as quickly as possible. I was constantly busy, doing the same familiar tasks over and over again, leaving little time to think or think strategically.
Instead, we should approach things differently and more creatively. how? Here are some ideas that come to your mind:
- Leverage automation tools to improve efficiency.
- Create infographics for design and technical presentations.
- Identify opportunities to make a broader impact across teams.
- Start with small engagement points and share the results with leadership.
- Identify gaps in the current process and make suggestions.
Focus on what I want to achieve and avoid distractions.
Earlier this year, I published a post about the importance of focusing on becoming the person you want to be,
Distractions are everywhere – cell phones, YouTube videos, and social media constantly grab our attention and tempt our desires. It’s easy to get distracted, but maintaining a peaceful mind and staying true to ourselves is the real challenge.
Final thoughts
It is much easier to act reactively than proactively if we do not change our mindset. Being proactive requires perseverance, flexibility, determination and a willingness to take risks. However, it leads to greater satisfaction, growth and passion.