Bridging Technical and Business Skills as a Staff-Plus Engineer
As a staff-plus engineer, one’s duties vary based on the team’s needs and strengths. Providing technical vision and guidance is essential. Focusing on the business’s needs over one’s own is crucial in higher positions, where dedicated advocates are necessary to promote the technology.
Developers act as translators, but finding those who understand the business side is common. Our job is to convert user requirements into functionalities. Communicating with stakeholders can be challenging because we tend to use complex architectures and technical jargon. Yet, knowledge of coding and business can make a person unstoppable. One can meet with stakeholders to learn more about a company’s domain. Ask colleagues about the industry’s standard terms, and inquire about sales funnels, marketing niches, and customer support inquiries.
Anyone can be a leader, and the first step is taking action. Leadership skills take time to build, but they’re necessary for anyone who wants to be a successful leader. Leadership is not exclusive to a role. An act of leadership requires courage and the ability to speak out about the elephant in the room or highlight a team’s blind spots.
