Why senior engineers let bad projects fail

4 months ago

Being right and being effective are different in large companies; seniority involves knowing when to save your counsel.
Bad projects can be categorized into UX, technical, and political issues, but their 'badness' is often subjective until much later.
Example of a 'bad project' at Google: technically elegant but politically unfeasible, leading to eventual failure.
Attempting to stop all bad projects is costly: it can lead to being ignored, seen as negative, burning bridges, and psychological cynicism.
Manage influence strategically like a bank account, making withdrawals only when necessary to avoid political bankruptcy.
Decide when to speak up based on project proximity, team impact, and company scale.
Interventions can range from direct escalation to subtle nudges, depending on the situation.
When not intervening, make contingency plans or stay out of the picture to maintain sanity.
Be honest with your team about bad projects without delving into unnecessary political details.
Strategic credibility spending is key: pick battles where you can actually change outcomes.

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