Large tech companies don't need heroes

Large tech companies operate through complex systems of processes and incentives that determine outcomes, not individual heroics. Engineers who sacrifice career progression to fix inefficiencies beyond their job scope become "heroes" who inadvertently insulate companies from consequences of broken systems. These heroes get exploited by managers and product managers for short-term gains while being punished during promotions. Engineers should resist heroic impulses, focus on explicitly rewarded work, and accept that background inefficiency is the price of scale in large organizations.