Engineers - Let's talk about accountability

Someone recently sent me a meme that seemed funny at first glance—something most software engineers can relate to. But let's be honest: if you're the type of "golden retriever" engineer who just does what they're told without questioning, you're failing at your job. (Original post and image from: https://programmerhumor.io/programming-memes/weve-all-been-there-12/)

Ever catch yourself thinking, "That'll never work, but I'll build it anyway"? Do you believe this strengthens your status as an expert? And how does this impact your conscience when dealing with customers? Is the exchange truly honest and based on partnership? I don't think so.

Here's what really happens: The sales team makes a quick sale and pockets a nice bonus. The resulting mess is then dumped at your feet, leaving you to manage the fallout. Your time, your code, your responsibility. And it's justified, because despite knowing better, you did nothing to prevent it. The customer ends up dissatisfied, and your negligence boomerangs back as technical debt—impacting you and your company.

Wishing you had spoken up, huh? It's not about cancelling projects or declaring them impossible. As an engineer, your job is to find solutions. Raise your reasonable doubts, prove them, and collaborate to find alternatives. You are the expert. Who else will find the right solution but you?

A doctor would never let a layman tell him how to do his job. Neither would a car mechanic follow your advice to repair the cylinder head gasket with duct tape. If you let someone else tell you how to do your job, you are by definition no longer an expert. So act like an expert and take control. Software development is an engineering skill meant for experts—not just code monkey service providers.

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