Depends on with whom, I think. With management, and colleagues in non-engineering departments, absolutely. But with coworkers on their own team who are hopefu

Depends on with whom, I think. With management, and colleagues in non-engineering departments, absolutely. But with coworkers on their own team who are hopefully their buddies, I don't think this is true. I had the enormous privilege of having met some incredibly interesting people by working with them, and being able to talk with them - whether "productively" or not (there was plenty of both) - was one of the best and most enduring aspects of the job.