Applying Socratic Wisdom to Engineering Management
In my tenure as an engineering leader, I have observed our role demands more than just technical understanding;
it requires us to be open-minded, to be eager to learn, and to be reflective.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, I found those characteristics connected to some of the principles taught by the ancient philosopher Socrates, as narrated by Plato.
Specifically, three quotes from Socrates stood out to me.
“I neither know nor think I know” (Plato, Apology 21d).
In technology, where changes are constant, Socrates’ admission of ignorance is a powerful reminder of the need for humility. The field of engineering is vast; no one can know it all. This mindset encourages a culture of open-mindedness.
A few years ago, during a post-mortem, I witnessed a manager dismissing a junior engineer’s suggestion about preventing an issue from happening again. The manager thought his position gave him the upper hand, and he decided to push on a different action item. Unfortunately, this not only suppressed his team’s creativity but also led the team down a more convoluted solution…
