A few years ago, I was minding my own business, working on the factory shop floor, validating some test equipment I had specified. I never thought that I was about to have one of the most valuable engineering leadership lessons.
The Head of Engineering walked past, saw me, and asked how things were going.
I gave the honest answer: the supplier was late in delivering some features, I was still waiting on the final specifications, something had been implemented incorrectly, and the project manager wanted to know when the tester would finally be ready.
Then, almost by reflex, I added:
“And how are you?”
It caught him off guard.
He paused and said that he was so used to asking others how they were… but no one ever asked him. Then he shared a bit about the issues he was dealing with.
We both walked away smiling.
Him, because someone had asked how he was, as a person.
Me, because I suddenly felt part of the company, trusted with a real glimpse into how things actually were at the top.
It was a small interaction, but, to this day, it has stuck with me.
Leadership can be lonely.
Hierarchy can quietly erase humanity.
And sometimes, the simplest question is enough to bridge that gap.
The engineering leadership lessons I learnt that day on the shop floor
As an engineer…
- Breaking the “script” of hierarchy builds trust instantly
- You are providing value not just with code or your work, but with empathy
As a leader…
- Small moments of being “seen” as a person are rare and valuable
- Vulnerability (sharing issues) creates a stronger team connection
This moment was my first real lesson in realising that seniors are just people too, a mindset that has changed how I approach my career and interactions.
It was also a small, accidental step toward the adult-to-adult collaboration I now believe is the only way to build healthy engineering teams.
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