How to be a 10x software engineer

https://michaellin.substack.com/p/how-to-be-a-10x-software-engineer

The difference between the best engineers and junior engineers boils down to an issue of mindset. They use the right tools, ask the right questions, and know how to prioritize. Skills that have little to do with coding that even non-technical people can develop.

1. Not investigating tooling enough

Using the right tool is the difference between laboring for weeks, and finishing a task in 10 minutes. That’s where the 10x difference accrues.

2. Not asking for help

A lot of times the difference is that they were missing context — information that they couldn’t possibly deduce themselves.

So instead of just asking for help, they stew over the code base, looking at the same lines of code over and over, when a 5 minute question to a teammate would have resolved the issue instantly!

3. Not delivering business value

10x engineers are investors first and foremost.

They understand that their work is an investment — and the payoff of their investment has to vastly outweigh the cost of the time spent. They understand opportunity cost: time spent building one feature means time not spent building another feature.

Engineers must weigh opportunity costs — “Of all the features you could build — is this feature the best use of your time?”

They understand that code is a means to an end — a business end. And if they can achieve their goal with no code, even better! It’s less work to write, and less code to maintain — a win-win situation.

Engineer’s have to deliver value first and foremost.