What does "playing politics" mean for software engineers?
3 hours ago
- Be aware of who is powerful and who is not, typically senior management like VPs and directors.
- Avoid making powerful enemies at all costs; if you have one, consider quitting.
- Help powerful people by being responsive, leaning into important projects, and supporting their narratives.
- Make sure your contributions are visible by publicly communicating your work and keeping a brag document.
- Leverage technical ability as a source of power to influence decisions on implementation details.
- Understand that playing politics is about aligning with company values and knowing how the organization operates.