What It Means to Be a 10x Engineer

The concept of the "10x engineer" often gets a lot of attention in the tech industry. However, it is frequently misunderstood as a person who can simply write 10 times more code or work 10 times faster than their peers. This narrow interpretation makes many believe that a "10x engineer" is just a myth—a unicorn that doesn’t exist in reality. However, I believe this concept is a metaphor for someone who can bring transformational value to a team, well beyond what their raw output might suggest.

In reality, being a 10x engineer is less about volume and speed and more about making smarter decisions, driving meaningful outcomes, and leveraging skills and knowledge to maximize the impact on the business. Let’s dive into what truly makes an engineer "10x."

Strategic Decision-Making

10x engineers don’t just solve problems—they solve the right problems. They have a knack for eradicating tasks that do not bring value and do not contribute to real business goals.

They take time to understand the business domain and the real problems users or customers face, enabling them to make informed and strategic decisions.

A true 10x engineer knows that context is crucial. They have a deep understanding of the company’s goals, the current stage of the product, and the evolving priorities. This allows them to adapt their focus based on what matters most at any given time—whether it’s security, reliability, performance, or speed of delivery.

They also resist the temptation to implement complex, trendy solutions unless those solutions are truly the best fit for the problem. Technical tools are a means to achieve business goals—not an end in themselves.

Effective Communication

Among the Networkers, on the other hand, 99.9 per cent will have the innovation. Only 0.1 per cent will have solved it on their own, but the rest will have learned it from friends. And each of these will now have an opportunity to improve the innovation, transmitting insights back into their networks. The result is clear - and is corroborated by field data, lab experiments and dozens of historical examples. As Henrich puts it: ‘If you want to have cool technology, it is better to be social than smart’

M. Syed “Rebel Ideas”

A 10x engineer does not need to be the smartest person in the room - they are a connector (networker). They understand the value of diverse perspectives and know that the fastest way to solve problems often lies in leveraging external insights (or experiences). Instead of trying to solve every problem from scratch, they tap into the collective knowledge available outside their immediate environment.

They often have a deep understanding of the company’s internal landscape. They know which teams have tackled similar problems in the past, who the domain experts are for specific technologies, and what historical decisions have already been made. This awareness allows them to avoid redundancy, save time, and quickly find the best resources or people to solve a given issue.

A 10x engineer is a person who delivers knowledge to the team. It can be mentorship but also good relationships with other experts.

Data-Driven Orientation

Success isn’t defined by the amount of code written or the speed of delivery. A 10x engineer focuses on whether the changes lead to meaningful improvements. By using data and metrics, they can confidently answer whether the released solution genuinely works, delivering not just output but valuable outcomes.

A 10x engineer doesn’t just build and ship a solution—they validate its effectiveness. They take responsibility for ensuring that what they’ve delivered genuinely solves the problem and meets the desired outcomes. This means they go beyond manual testing and rely on comprehensive metrics and observability to confirm the solution works as intended in real-world scenarios.

They are ready to answer to questions:

• “Does the new solution genuinely work?”

• “Did this feature improve users experience?”

• “Did this refactoring break the functionality?”

And they have data to prove it.

Craftsmanship

A 10x engineer is a lifelong learner who proactively seeks out opportunities to enhance their skills. They focus on improving their technical expertise, architecture skills, and decision-making capabilities, staying ahead of the curve.

They don’t wait for formal training but take the initiative in identifying and learning the skills needed to solve complex problems effectively. This dedication ensures they are always evolving and bringing fresh insights to the team.

Their focus on software craftsmanship goes beyond writing functional code. They aim to create scalable, maintainable solutions with a keen eye for quality, building systems that are robust and well-designed.

They embrace rapid experimentation, knowing that small, quick failures pave the way for innovative solutions and minimize costs, creating space for new ideas.

Deep and Shallow Work Balance

They proactively protect time for deep, uninterrupted work where they can tackle complex problems. This structured approach helps them deliver high-quality output while staying engaged with the team and gathering necessary feedback.

They know how to design their work time to maximize focus, minimizing distractions to engage in deep work and high-quality output.

A 10x engineer excels at balancing deep, focused work with necessary shallow tasks such as Slack conversations, meetings, feedback sessions, or quick problem-solving. They understand that too much context-switching leads to busyness without meaningful progress, while too little collaboration can result in isolation and a lack of feedback.

Conclusion

The 10x engineer isn’t a mythical figure producing 10 times more code—it’s a metaphor for a type of engineer who consistently amplifies the team's impact through a combination of strategic thinking, domain awareness, crafted solutions, and effective communication. This concept represents an archetype, an ideal that underscores the importance of multidimensional growth.

The 10x engineer is not a fixed destination but a horizon to strive for, inspiring engineers to focus on what truly matters: outcomes over output, and balanced growth across all areas of their craft.