Motivating Engineers During Challenging Projects

I once worked with a manager who micromanaged our team down to the smallest of tasks.  Every decision had to go through him, every small update had to be shared, and we felt like we weren’t trusted to do our jobs. It sucked the joy out of the work and killed our motivation.  That experience taught me very early that people hate being micromanaged.  When I became an engineering manager, I made my own mistakes but never micromanaged. Because from my own dev experience, I realized:   - You don’t just tell people what to do.   - You set clear goals.   - You empower them.   - You trust their initiative.  You want people to take ownership. When they feel trusted, they’re happier and more productive, and they perform better. But here’s the tricky part: How do you motivate your team without burning out or burning them out?  Here are a few strategies that always work for me:  1. Set clear, meaningful goals   –When people know the “why” behind their work, they’re more driven.  –Make it clear how their tasks connect to the bigger picture.   2. Recognize and celebrate wins   – A simple “thank you” or acknowledgment during a meeting can go a long way.  – People stay motivated when their efforts are seen and appreciated.   3. Encourage work-life balance   – Set realistic deadlines, encourage breaks, and lead by example.  – Don’t reward overwork—reward good work.   4. Give autonomy and ownership   – Nobody likes being told how to do their job.  – Trust your team to make decisions. –  Let them own projects, and watch them grow.   5. Create a safe, supportive environment   "If people don’t feel safe to share their ideas or challenges, they won’t thrive."  – Encourage open communication and value collaboration over competition.   6. Offer growth opportunities   – Stagnation kills motivation.  –Help your team grow with new challenges, mentorship, and training.   7. Lead by example   – Your team watches you.  –Be the kind of leader you’d want to follow: positive, transparent, and resilient.  Motivating your team is creating an environment where people feel respected, trusted, and valued.  And most importantly, it’s about remembering that your team isn’t a set of “resources.” They’re human beings. Treat them that way, and they’ll show up for you every single time.  – P.S: If you're a senior engineer, or a tech lead and looking to transition to management and grow, I'm doing a free webinar soon, please fill out this form to register: https://lnkd.in/gZ7VcqMD This will also be useful for a new manager!

I was leading a team developing an innovation in consumer packaged goods. The tension was thick. Why? Ridiculously accelerated timeline, technical complexity through the roof, experimental trials every other week. Just when the team was at its wits' end, our VP added two more product variations to our already impossible trial schedule. After the announcement, you could hear a pin drop. Faces frozen. Arms crossed. Energy completely sucked out of the room. That's when it hit me. This wasn't a "people problem", it was a systems problem. My engineering brain immediately went to work: • What inputs are creating these outputs? • Where are the bottlenecks in the emotional system? • How do we optimize for better performance? Instead of seeing emotions as messy and unpredictable, I started seeing them as data. Fear = Signal that safety needs aren't met Frustration = Signal that the process needs adjustment Disengagement = Signal that people don't feel valued That shift changed everything. I stopped trying to eliminate emotions and started engineering solutions that worked WITH them. I called that VP: "When you made that request, the energy was sucked out of the room. I need you to acknowledge their effort and what you've asked puts on their plates." The next morning? Completely different team. Re-engaged, ready to make the impossible happen. Here's what I learned: Emotions aren't the enemy of logic, they're the missing variable in your equation. When you approach feelings with the same rigor you'd bring to any other system, you don't just solve the problem. You optimize for human performance. The most successful leaders aren't choosing between IQ and EQ. They're using both to engineer better outcomes. That project became one of the most successful launches in company history. What systems thinking could you apply to your team's emotional challenges? 🔔 Follow for more insights on engineering better workplace cultures

Your team isn't lazy. They're emotionally BLOCKED from taking initiative. Most engineers want to take ownership in their work, but their brain is actually working against them to do it. Here's what's really happening. 1. They are afraid of failing Developers need a "safe space" to make mistakes without ridicule. When every error gets criticized, they'll stick to what's safe—and avoid ownership at all costs. 2. They have past trauma That engineer who avoids collaboration isn't being difficult. They were burned before. Every time I've dug deeper into a "resistant" developer's behavior, I've found a story where they took initiative and got punished for it. 3. They are questioning whether they're good enough. They aren't refusing projects because they lack ability, but because they don't believe in themselves. 4. They are scared to share their knowledge Engineers who don't feel ownership over their work won't share it. When managers constantly reassign tasks, developers learn "this isn't really mine" and stop investing emotionally. 5. They see you as the villain in their story When managers only challenge without supporting, they become "villains" in the developer's mind. Both sides feel like the victim, and ownership dies. 6. They have an emotional intelligence gap Most engineers (myself included) struggle with emotional intelligence. They try to solve emotional blocks with logic, then wonder why nothing changes. The solution isn't more pressure. It's understanding what's TRULY blocking them. Instead of just pushing people, I now focus equal attention on: ✅ Finding each person's specific emotional block ✅ Creating psychological safety ✅ Building confidence through targeted support ✅ Addressing past experiences that shape current behavior Despite being "logical" people, engineers need emotional intelligence from their leaders before they'll take true ownership. Which of these ownership roadblocks do you see in your team?