In June, I moved back to the IC role, and it’s been liberating. One big advantage of being an IC is having more control compared to being a manager. As a manager, my job was to guide and uplift engineers — giving advice, opening doors, and showing compassion, but only stepping in as much as needed. Now, as an engineer again, I have the power to make certain technical changes directly. But it does not stop there. This also includes growth aspects as an engineer. I realized I’d be foolish not to follow the same advice I gave my team members on how to grow. It almost feels like I have a cheat code, knowing how to position myself for success.

Soft skills

One of the things I always preached was: the higher you go, the more soft skills matter. As an engineer, moving from senior to staff, you write less code and apply more soft skills. There are countless situations where you need to use these skills. Sometimes you act as the translator between business and technical people; other times, you orchestrate a move to a new technology. The higher you go, the more you use your technical knowledge to enable others — whether it’s for a customer demo, introducing a new framework, or teaching best practices. Having strong soft skills makes a huge difference.

To make use of this fact, I decided to focus on soft skills to become a better engineer. I reflected on where I excel and how I apply these skills in my daily work. So I listed the things I am really good at and decided to use these skills to benefit my work. I ended up with this list:

• Networking
• Communication
• Being outspoken
• Being supportive

Networking

I love meeting new people. As in life, in engineering it helps to know the right people — and that takes effort. You need to actively connect, build relationships, and get to know colleagues outside your immediate team. Connecting and networking have many benefits. It can help you onboard in a new role, provide insights, or you may just need assistance from other departments. Having a strong network can make all the difference.

For example, during our tribe offsite, we wanted to invite speakers from other product teams. Thanks to a colleague’s connections, we were able to arrange valuable sessions that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. This not only broadened our perspective but also sparked new collaborations. Networking isn’t just about socializing — it’s about opening doors and creating opportunities that benefit the whole team.

Communication

Communication is one of the most undervalued skills in the engineering field. As a staff engineer, you are expected to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, from junior engineers to executives. You write design documents, lead technical discussions, and often serve as the voice of engineering in strategic conversations. Beyond these formal responsibilities, meaningful conversations are crucial for understanding each other's challenges, resolving conflicts, achieving goals, and more.

The latest example I can recall is the discussion I had with several colleagues about workloads during quarter-ends. This helped me recognize the pain teams felt from being treated as a feature factory, with little time for important aspects of development, such as observability or security. Everyone was rushing to finish their team goals end of the quarter. And it was as easy as just asking "How are you?".

The communication did not stop there. After hearing these concerns, I advocated for change with leadership. As a result, we shifted our focus and spent more time on monitoring, alerting, and performance improvements. This led to happier engineers and, ultimately, more satisfied customers.

Being supportive

Being supportive is at the heart of technical leadership. Staff engineers are force multipliers, as I pointed out in a previous blog post. My impact doesn’t come solely from writing code, but from elevating others — through code reviews, evaluating system designs, and helping colleagues navigate complex technical challenges.

For example, when our company set up the on-call curriculum, few people paid attention to the surveys we conducted after each round. I saw this as a missed opportunity, so I took the time to summarize the findings, met with session hosts, and compiled a list of improvements based on their feedback. As a result, the next cohort will benefit from changes such as planning sessions being held further in advance, which will make life easier for engineers and improve the overall experience.

Being outspoken

Being outspoken means having the courage to speak up—even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular. Many engineers hesitate to raise concerns or challenge decisions, particularly in the presence of leadership. However, technical leadership isn’t just about expertise; it’s about advocating for good practices, protecting the team’s integrity, and ensuring we do the right thing for both our users and the company.

For example, during my time as an external engineer at a telecommunications company, my team was developing self-serve functionality for roaming configuration. We were preparing two features for a major health company’s sales package when a salesperson suggested we fake the feature to secure the sale. I felt strongly that this was wrong and voiced my concerns, worried about the impact on users and our reputation. Speaking up wasn’t easy, but after I did, other team members also opposed the idea. Ultimately, we safeguarded the company’s reputation and prevented dissatisfied customers.

Being outspoken isn’t about being confrontational — it’s about having the integrity to raise issues, ask hard questions, and advocate for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable. This is what sets staff engineers apart and helps drive the team and culture forward.

Final thoughts

Soft skills aren’t just a nice-to-have; they’re the foundation of impactful engineering. Whether you’re leading from the front or supporting from behind the scenes, your ability to connect, communicate, and advocate shapes your career and your team’s success. If you’re an engineer looking to grow, don’t underestimate the power of these skills. Start small: reach out to a colleague, speak up in a meeting, or offer support where it’s needed. The technical challenges will always be there, but it’s your soft skills that will set you apart.

What’s one soft skill you’ll focus on this week?

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Jernej Klancic

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