Problems vs Decisions
Most engineers are brilliant at identifying problems. Fewer are good at tracking down root causes. But very few actually know how to turn those problems into decisions.
Think about how it sounds in meetings:
The Problem: “We don’t have enough people.” (An observation)
The Diagnosis: “The release is at risk because we don’t have enough people.” (Better, shows impact)
The Decision: “We need either one additional engineer or a two-week deadline extension.” (Perfect)
Companies don’t pay the highest salaries for finding problems. They pay for reducing uncertainty.
The most valuable people in the room aren’t the ones who build the longest list of issues. They’re the ones who look at a messy situation and answer a simple question:
“What should we do next?”