Intro
As an Engineering Director, I’ve seen many engineers grow into senior roles—and I’ve also seen others plateau, wondering why they weren’t getting promoted. The difference isn’t just about technical skills; it’s about how you approach your work, your team, and the bigger picture.
So, what sets the two apart? In this article, I’ll break down the five key areas that determine whether an engineer grows into a senior position—or stays stuck. If you’re ready to take that next step, let’s dive in.
How Your Manager Sees You
If you’re not working at Google or another company with extensive tracking and productivity analysis tools, promotions are based on a much simpler equation:
Impact → Visibility → Trust
Engineering managers evaluate engineers based on the impact they create, how visible that impact is, and the trust they build. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Impact: Engineers who consistently solve complex customer and technical problems, contribute to business goals, and improve team efficiency naturally stand out. Impact isn’t just about writing code—it’s about making a difference.
Visibility: Being active in refinements, planning meetings, retrospectives, and consistently engaging in written communication—such as chat, tickets, and documentation—not only benefits your team but also ensures your work is visible to your manager.
Trust: If you consistently demonstrate high impact and make your contributions visible, your manager will start trusting you more and relying on you. This trust often leads to advocacy for salary increases and title promotions.
Key Areas to Focus On
The following five key areas are essential for growing into a senior engineering role. The visual representation above outlines these areas:
Technical Expertise – Mastering system architecture, writing maintainable and scalable code, and solving technical challenges independently are the foundation of a senior engineer's role.
Improving Communication – Whether it's explaining complex technical topics, engaging in written communication in chat, or providing structured feedback, strong communication skills enhance collaboration, reduce misunderstandings, and improve overall team efficiency.
Thinking Beyond Code – A senior engineer understand how engineering decisions impact business goals, user experience, and whether they align with the overall technical strategy. Such thinking ensures that technical solutions support both business needs and long-term engineering excellence.
Taking Ownership – Proactively solving problems, refining the backlog, and taking responsibility for features from start to finish demonstrate true leadership and accountability.
Supporting Others – Being a senior engineer isn’t just about individual contributions; it’s about uplifting your team. Sharing knowledge, mentoring junior engineers, and providing constructive feedback are critical aspects of team growth.
Not everyone excels in all five areas, and that’s okay. The key to growth isn’t forcing yourself to fix every weakness—it’s making sure your strengths shine so brightly that they outweigh your weaker areas. Instead of trying to become perfect at everything, focus on leveraging what you’re already great at while improving where you can.
Why Individual Growth Still Matters in a Team-Centric Scrum Environment
Scrum emphasizes teamwork, collective ownership, and shared success. But that doesn’t mean individual growth is any less important. In fact, the strongest Scrum teams are built on the foundation of skilled, proactive, and accountable individuals. Here’s why:
Leadership Emerges Naturally
Scrum doesn’t remove the need for leadership. Senior engineers naturally step up as problem solvers and guide the team without a formal title. If no one takes initiative, work won’t get done.
Decision-Making Still Needs Expertise – Even in a self-organizing team, at least one member should have enough technical expertise to implement complex solutions, make informed trade-offs, and uphold best practices.
Stronger Individuals = Stronger Team
When each engineer levels up in technical skills, communication, and leadership, the entire team benefits. A well-rounded team isn’t just a sum of its parts; it’s a force multiplier.
Further Reading
Beyond the Buzzwords - A short guide on improving communication with non-technical stakeholders.
5 Key Leadership Skills - Discover the top leadership skills that drive long-term success for tech teams.
How to be a proactive engineer - Actionable tips that you can use immediately in order to be a proactive engineer, which will provide you with countless opportunities.
How to become a more effective engineer - The importance of soft skills, implicit hierarchies, getting to “small wins”, understanding promotion processes and more.
Final Thoughts
Becoming a senior engineer isn’t about waiting for a promotion—it’s about actively developing the right skills and mindset. While technical expertise is important, what truly sets senior engineers apart is their ability to think beyond code, communicate effectively, take ownership, and uplift their team.
Thanks for reading and if you found this helpful, feel free to share it with a friend or colleague who might benefit from these insights!