After enjoying a variety of engineering environments over the past few years, I’m convinced that, for long-term happiness and professional success, engineering culture matters even more than the product itself.

Reflecting on perhaps the most difficult experience of my career it became obvious to me that working in an ego-driven engineering culture was a poor fit for me. Although it was exciting and rewarding working on a team that had impressive velocity, especially given the small team size, it was clear it was never going to be sustainable.

Having recently had the opportunity to help shape and guide an engineering team, I found it important and helpful to focus on leading with empathy rather than ego. I thought about the difference between my experiences in an ego-driven culture versus one rooted in empathy. I’ve organized my observations into categories that, in my view, significantly influence engineering culture.

Decision-Making and Communication

In an ego driven culture decisions often revolve around the perspectives of influential individuals, sometimes stifling diverse viewpoints. Engineers may feel pressured to “prove” themselves rather than contribute openly.

Empathy driven culture allows for decisions to be more collaborative, with a focus on understanding all perspectives. Engineers feel safer to voice concerns or ideas, leading to more innovative solutions and better alignment with real-world user needs.

Feedback Culture and Learning

Constructive feedback in an ego driven culture can be poorly received or interpreted as a threat. This environment can create a cycle of blame rather than growth, making it hard for engineers to learn from mistakes.

In an empathy driven culture feedback is approached as a tool for improvement and mutual growth. Engineers see it as a means to learn and evolve, which can help the team adapt and improve continuously.

Team Cohesion and Morale

Teams may feel competitive or siloed in an ego driven culture, with individuals working to outshine or outwork others. This can erode trust, increase stress and lead to burnout, making it challenging to retain talent.

Teams are often more supportive and collaborative in an empthay focused culture. People are more willing to help each other, share knowledge, and build bonds, which leads to higher job satisfaction and retention.

Impact on Product Quality and User Experience

Ego driven product development may reflect the preferences or biases of a few individuals, rather than genuinely solving users’ problems. This often results in products that miss the mark for broader audiences. Engineers may think the users are too dumb to understand or use the product in the way it was designed, I’ve certainly battled with this in pervious experiences.

Products created with user empathy in mind are much more user-centered, prioritizing real user needs and empathy. This leads to solutions that are more thoughtful and effective in solving real issues.

Long-Term Outcomes

Burnout, lower productivity, and a high turnover rate due to stress and lack of genuine collaboration seem to be more common in ego centered teams.

I prefer team resilience, a continuous learning mindset, and a culture where people genuinely enjoy working together, which benefits both individuals and the organization long-term.