Sometimes it is a fear response to the anticipated consequences of giving a clear answer. In your example, I imagine that the engineer is trying to be seen as

Sometimes it is a fear response to the anticipated consequences of giving a clear answer. In your example, I imagine that the engineer is trying to be seen as still worthy of employment despite not shipping a feature. That motivates them to show themselves as: - Able to overcome some challenges. - Able to learn from mistakes. This is a self-reenforcing cycle. An engineer who struggles to make decisions will struggle to deliver at pace. An engineer who struggles to delver at pace will have more experiences of getting fired. An engineer with more experiences of getting fired will be more fearful and thus struggle more to gather their thoughts and communicate clearly. The only solution I know of is more secure professional relationships such as with a coach such as you’ve been acting as.