High Performing Engineer Teams = motivation + enthusiasm + autonomy

The best technical innovations rarely come from formal training programs or enforced skill development initiatives. They emerge from engineers who are genuinely excited about solving problems.

This observation contradicts conventional wisdom in engineering management, but it reveals an important truth: enthusiasm is the real driver of technical excellence.

Technical breakthroughs don’t magically appear after training sessions. They come from engineers who can’t stop thinking about problems. The kind who wake up with solutions in their head because they’ve been puzzling over challenges in their sleep.

The most powerful way to generate enthusiasm is through demonstrated behavior, not directives. Engineers are particularly attuned to this distinction—they quickly distinguish between leaders who “walk the talk” and those who merely issue instructions.

This means getting your hands dirty with work that many consider “beneath them”. By diving into the trenches, you send a powerful signal about what matters:

• Writing detailed Jira tickets shows you value clear communication and planning
• Participating in tech debt reduction demonstrates commitment to code quality
• Writing tests proves testing isn’t just something you talk about
• Responding to customer queries shows customer problems matter at every level
• Deep-diving into complex analysis proves thoroughness is valued
• Trying work outside your expertise demonstrates learning is ongoing for everyone

What’s particularly powerful about this approach is its authenticity. You can’t fake genuine interest in the unglamorous parts of building technology. When a technical leader spends time refactoring test coverage, the message about what matters is unmistakable.

This enthusiasm creates a multiplier effect. When engineers are passionate about solving problems, they dig deeper, persist longer, and explore creative avenues that training programs would never cover.

[It’s important to note that enthusiasm doesn’t have to mean working beyond normal hours.]

Generating motivation isn’t abstract—it takes deliberate, consistent actions:

1. Make impact visible: Engineers need to see how their work affects users. This means sharing customer stories, highlighting metrics improvements, and creating direct connections between technical work and business outcomes.

2. Remove unnecessary friction: Nothing kills motivation faster than bureaucracy that prevents productive work. Identifying and eliminating process barriers sends a clear message that getting things done matters more than procedural compliance.

3. Celebrate technical curiosity: When someone dives deep into a problem, recognize that effort regardless of outcome. The engineer who spent two weeks understanding a complex issue deserves recognition even if the ultimate fix was simple.

4. Create space for exploration: Carving out dedicated time for engineers to explore technical interests pays enormous dividends. The 20% time concept became famous because it works—it acknowledges that creativity requires breathing room.

5. Demonstrate continuous learning: Leaders who openly share what they’re learning, including struggles, normalize growth. This creates psychological safety around not knowing everything.

Building this motivation-centered approach to technical excellence isn’t complicated, but it requires consistency:

1. Hire for curiosity: Look for engineers who demonstrate genuine interest in how things work, not just those with impressive credentials.

2. Connect to purpose: Continuously reinforce why the work matters and who it helps.

3. Model the behavior: Spend time doing the “grunt work” alongside your team.

4. Remove barriers: Identify and eliminate anything that prevents engineers from making progress.

5. Provide autonomy: Give engineers control over how they approach problems.

6. Supply resources: Once motivation exists, make learning resources readily available.

The best engineering cultures aren’t built on rigid learning paths but on contagious enthusiasm that makes learning inevitable. When engineers are genuinely excited about solving problems, technical excellence follows naturally.