One key I think is controlling your emotional reactivity & gaining perspective on issues. I think when you are a junior IC, you can easily see things in black

One key I think is controlling your emotional reactivity & gaining perspective on issues. I think when you are a junior IC, you can easily see things in black and white. You can get worked up over perceived issues, judging too quickly, and can easily see things from an us vs them perspective. You need to be able to gain the full perspective on an issue. The saying "be curious not judgmental" is very front and center to engineering leadership. So for example, when a coworker rants to you, don't amplify their rant. Try to de-amplify it. Ask questions, be curious about the other side, try to listen and validate, but don't take too much stock in their rant. This keeps you in a more objective, thoughtful problem-solving mindset, rather than the reptilian brain that responds with a 'fight or flight' fashion. This is important for moving up in the leadership ladder because (a) Emotional immaturity will stress out your superiors. You're seen as someone that needs to be 'managed' not someone productively getting your work done (b) It helps you better see a solution to a problem in a more objective way, not a punitive way (c) It creates blame-free leadership, where you focus on the dynamics between people and systems, not how one person screws up When you can gather these facts and think about issues objectively, then you can create more informed opinions about the direction the team(s) should take, lead more effectively, and include everyones input getting much more buy-in.