In this episode of Soft Skills Engineering, the hosts tackle two listener questions. The first question comes from a high-performing principal engineer whose boss offers little feedback, likely due to their long-standing trust. The hosts advise leveraging that trust and autonomy to independently pursue meaningful projects instead of seeking more guidance from the manager. The second question deals with how to politely decline a teammate's proposed architecture that could lead to technical debt. The hosts recommend clearly expressing disagreement while recognizing the teammate's contributions and discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of the proposal to foster a constructive dialogue. Overall, the episode emphasizes the significance of clear communication and proactive self-direction, especially for those in senior roles.
