Four Skills Every Engineer Needs To Grow Their Career
Why did you get into software?
For me, it started with the satisfaction of creating something from nothing. I could open a blank file, write a few lines of code, and end up with something real and valuable. That sense of progress and problem-solving is what pulled me in and kept me here.
As I took on bigger projects, a pattern emerged. The code mattered, but the results depended on how the work moved through the team. Did we share the same context? Did decisions reach the right people? Did handoffs stick? When those things were clear, good code became valuable fast. When they weren't, even great code stalled.
Those abilities are what most people refer to as "soft skills." They are the skills that make your work matter. They turn individual effort into team outcomes. They decide whether ideas ship, whether your team trusts you, and whether your work has real impact.
Why Engineers Undervalue Soft Skills
Most engineers don't intentionally discount these skills. They get limited practice.
In school, the focus is on technical aspects: algorithms, architecture, and optimization. An IEEE study on engineering education notes that communication and teamwork are often handled informally or piecemeal rather than embedded into the coursework. New engineers enter with strong technical foundations and minimal structured experience in how teams actually work.
Industry keeps that bias in place. Technical interviews measure what's easy to score. The skills that are harder to measure — such as communication, feedback, and collaboration — often slip through the cracks. A LinkedIn Global Talent Trends summary reports that 92% of hiring leaders say these skills matter as much as technical ability. However, most companies still don't assess them with the same consistency.
We receive detailed feedback on code, but almost none on how we work with others. When a deployment fails, we (hopefully) know right away. When context is lost, the damage becomes apparent later as rework, missed deadlines, and frustration.
If you want more on how communication shapes outcomes, read The Hidden Communication Skill That Will 10x Your Impact.
The Cost of Ignoring Soft Skills
When these skills break down, delivery, quality, and morale all suffer.
A Project Management Institute report found that more than half of failed IT projects tie back to communication issues. Those breakdowns often lead to avoidable rework, scope creep, and delayed timelines.
The financial impact is real. A 2024 Grammarly and Harris Poll study estimates that $12,506 is lost per employee each year due to poor communication — roughly $1.2 trillion across U.S. businesses. In engineering, this manifests as duplicated work, unclear handoffs, and time spent clarifying decisions that should have been understood initially.
It also erodes trust. Forbes reports that 45% of employees lose trust in leadership after repeated communication failures. Once trust drops, engagement and collaboration follow.
In technical teams, these costs add up quickly. A vague Jira ticket or a fuzzy decision in standup can ripple through a sprint and stall a release. If you want a practical way to see your impact on teammates, read Are You Creating Lift or Drag?.
If poor communication quietly erodes performance, strong skills in these areas create clarity, trust, and momentum.
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The Impact of Focusing on Soft Skills
Define them by outcomes, not labels. Technical skills build solutions. These skills make sure those solutions reach their full impact.
Communication keeps information moving and reduces rework by aligning goals early.
Empathy prevents building the wrong thing by revealing how others will interpret and use your work.
Accountability builds predictability and trust, so teams rely on each other and output steadies.
Adaptability maintains momentum when plans change, allowing teams to adjust without needing to restart.
These are professional practices that change how software gets built. They speed delivery, reduce burnout, and strengthen teams. For a related perspective on compounding small behaviors, see How to Win in the Margins.
How to Improve Your Soft Skills
You don't need a personality makeover. Treat these like any other skill: practice, measure, refine.
Start small. Pick one friction point and fix it. Write clearer tickets. Share updates that answer the questions your manager usually asks. Small changes compound.
Ask for feedback. When a meeting goes well, ask why. When it doesn't, ask what would have helped. Most engineers rarely receive feedback on their communication skills. Asking builds awareness.
Clarify before you act. Perform a quick check to ensure shared understanding. Repeat what you heard, confirm decisions in writing, and close the loop on next steps. This isn't bureaucracy. It's precision.
For tactics on common team moments, see How to Run Better Meetings and Need Help with Your Self-Assessment?.
I got into software because I like building things. The code still matters. But the results depend on how the work moves through the team.
Technical skill gets you started. Soft skills ensure that your technical ability creates value. They turn effort into outcomes and individual contributions into team performance.
They're not optional. They're the non-negotiables that determine whether your work is successful, your team trusts you, and your ideas gain traction.
When planning your growth, don't just look for the next tool or framework; instead, consider the underlying principles that drive your business. Look for the habits and conversations that make your work more straightforward, faster, and easier for others to build on. That's where the real leverage is.