What they don't tell you about the "10x Engineer"

When used effectively, the "10x Engineer" can do wonderful things for your team and organisation. When they are misdirected, chaos will ensue.

I can count on less than one hand how many engineers that I've met who fit into the category of the "10x Engineer" .

The engineers who come in and just get it, they are able to make sense of a system they've not touched before or turn abstract ideas into solid solutions with little input. Their ability to do this efficiently and with little input is truly remarkable. They're often given this god-like status by those who admire them, their admires hang on to every word they say and to them, they are infallible.

But are they really?

Before we go into that, let's talk about the term a little bit more, it typically describes engineers who:

• Are exceptionally productive and are able to produce high out, no matter what they are given.

• Are fast learning, able to pick up new technologies and concepts quickly.

• Can solve complex problems with out-of-the-box solutions.

• Can work independently and take ownership of projects, they can take abstract ideas and break them down into small chunks.

• Produce high code quality that is efficient and maintainable.

• Can communicate effectively and foster collaboration.

• Focuses on impact and prioritise tasks based on that.

• Passionate at learning and improving, continuous improvement is at the core of what they do.

Sounds impressive right? I definitely agree.