I can really relate to this. Countless times I've run into tasks that are even only minor grinds (some tedious work that maybe takes 30 minutes to an hour to do

I can really relate to this. Countless times I've run into tasks that are even only minor grinds (some tedious work that maybe takes 30 minutes to an hour to do), and countless engineers I've worked with will just complain, avoid, or just plain be unwilling to do them. They'll indulge in discussing why things are wrong this way, what architecture should be like etc. And countless times, I'll just get through the minor grind and do the thing. Many of these engineers are smarter and more knowledgeable than I am, but when the time comes for performance reviews, promotions, these grinds really count. It's exactly as the author describe it, these grinds look like magic to the audience (management); because they are impactful to the business. Having said that, of course it's no excuse to create or perpetuate poor engineering or architecture by grinding. It's a balance.