3 ms·

SpaceX is one one those sink or swim places filled with type A personalities. Teamwork is key, but also challenging if you’re not a people person. If you don’t

SpaceX is one one those sink or swim places filled with type A personalities. Teamwork is key, but also challenging if you’re not a people person. If you don’t know something, you need to dive in and learn it. If you know lots of things, you need to help others get up to speed. It doesn’t matter where in the organization they are. I have no doubt this guy could have been a force amplifier if he hadn’t been so territorial. And they are right, principle engineer is not a management track but a very high and respected title. He should of been less concerned with his position and more of a team player. Mentoring younger engineers so they can raise to higher levels - that’s part of what a principal engineers does. This speaks volumes - “And as a result, I was having to mentor a roster of engineers who didn’t report to me and didn’t know what they didn’t know.” Maybe the guy came from a more traditional engineering company or something. It’s funny his title was pretty much already at the top. A principal that wants to do all the work themselves and not help others who are at the very bottom...

d23 4y ago
Gross.
JohnBooty 4y ago
I feel as though you have some big-picture aspects correct, but you're missing out on small-picture concepts. Specifically, Mentoring younger engineers so they can raise to higher levels - that’s part of what a principal engineers does. Yes. However: effective mentor/mentee relationships are absolutely not achieved by simply throwing unqualified and inexperienced mentees at a senior/principal engineer in a haphazard, unannounced way.
- bottlepalm 4y ago
  Satellites are being built, rockets are launching and the laser system is operational. Seems like they made it work, with or without the guy. Though I imagine it would of been a lot smoother if he had helped those engineers in their new roles. And yes you can build great relationships in a fast paced environment with very senior and very junior engineers thrown into the ring together.
  - neotriple 4y ago
    Nobody is saying that they haven't made it work with or without the guy. The key here is that you're essentially saying their culture is OK because the end justify the means, but I don't think that's a company that I'd want to work for. If you do, that's fine, but having warnings like this are nice for the people who don't want to work in environments like that.
  - JohnBooty 4y ago
    you can build great relationships in a fast paced environment with very senior and very junior engineers thrown into the ring together. Er.... yes, absolutely. I don't think that's being disputed. Certainly not by me. I'm referring to the way it was done as described in his article. That is not a recipe for success. Or, at best: success achieved a lot less efficiently than it could have been. I've mentored quite a few younger engineers and it has gone both successfully and poorly. At a bare minimum, it requires a time and attention commitment from the mentor. Unless the job is so trivial (or the mentee so advanced) that the mentee can learn just by hanging around and watching. When I was a dishwasher in a restaurant (hey, a fast paced environment) it was very easy to train the other new kids. I didn't exactly need advance notice. When I was a cook, it took a little longer. Engineering is slightly more complex.

d23 4y ago

Gross.

JohnBooty 4y ago

I feel as though you have some big-picture aspects correct, but you're missing out on small-picture concepts. Specifically, Mentoring younger engineers so they can raise to higher levels - that’s part of what a principal engineers does. Yes. However: effective mentor/mentee relationships are absolutely not achieved by simply throwing unqualified and inexperienced mentees at a senior/principal engineer in a haphazard, unannounced way.

bottlepalm 4y ago
Satellites are being built, rockets are launching and the laser system is operational. Seems like they made it work, with or without the guy. Though I imagine it would of been a lot smoother if he had helped those engineers in their new roles. And yes you can build great relationships in a fast paced environment with very senior and very junior engineers thrown into the ring together.
- neotriple 4y ago
  Nobody is saying that they haven't made it work with or without the guy. The key here is that you're essentially saying their culture is OK because the end justify the means, but I don't think that's a company that I'd want to work for. If you do, that's fine, but having warnings like this are nice for the people who don't want to work in environments like that.
- JohnBooty 4y ago
  you can build great relationships in a fast paced environment with very senior and very junior engineers thrown into the ring together. Er.... yes, absolutely. I don't think that's being disputed. Certainly not by me. I'm referring to the way it was done as described in his article. That is not a recipe for success. Or, at best: success achieved a lot less efficiently than it could have been. I've mentored quite a few younger engineers and it has gone both successfully and poorly. At a bare minimum, it requires a time and attention commitment from the mentor. Unless the job is so trivial (or the mentee so advanced) that the mentee can learn just by hanging around and watching. When I was a dishwasher in a restaurant (hey, a fast paced environment) it was very easy to train the other new kids. I didn't exactly need advance notice. When I was a cook, it took a little longer. Engineering is slightly more complex.