We have all been – or worked with – that frustrated engineer who wanted to change something or convince others of an idea but faced hurdles.
It might be about introducing an alternative tool. Or it might be about changing a process or policy. But I’ve found that engineers in particular fall into a pattern: they spot a problem, decide on a solution, and then try to convince everyone their solution is right.
When others don’t immediately agree with their solution, the engineer feels frustrated, and they go back to their daily work feeling disheartened and resentful. This frustration builds up into actions that often work against them and limit their impact.