Don’t Let Your Boss Do Your Job

Engineering leaders often lose credibility not through incompetence but by failing to visibly signal ownership of problems. When issues go unacknowledged, bosses step in — and everyone notices. The post introduces a three-step framework: Signal (acknowledge the issue fast, even without a solution), Route (decide who handles it and delegate explicitly), and Verify (follow up to confirm resolution). The author distinguishes coaching from abdication, explains how ownership expectations shift from tactical to strategic as seniority increases, and clarifies the difference between ownership (proactive) and accountability (retrospective). The core message: organizations don't need leaders to solve every problem, they need assurance that nothing falls through the cracks.