Staff Engineer Behaviors: Breaking the ceiling into Staff Engineering pt. 2
Key behaviors that help engineers make transformational leaps in their career and scale their impact and influence in a sustainable and meaningful way.
Today we are going to dive into part 2 of our series on staff-plus engineering.
In the first part of our discussion, we explored the core expectations — the “what” of staff-engineering. What defines the Staff-Plus level, common expectations across companies, and the key gaps that often cause Senior Engineers to get stuck.
If you missed part 1, you’ll want to check it out here: https://levelupsoftwareengineering.substack.com/p/breaking-the-staff-engineer-ceiling
Now, let's shift our focus to the how: the behaviors that enable top performing engineers to make transformational leaps in their careers and help them scale their impact and influence in a sustainable way.
About the author
Thiago Ghisi is the Director of Engineering for the Mobile Platform team at Nubank. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the software industry, having worked at companies like Apple, ThoughtWorks, and Amex. He also hosts a podcast called "Engineering Advice You Didn't Ask For" and writes extensively about Career Growth & Leadership on both the IC & the Management track on LinkedIn & Twitter.
Alright, let’s dive in 👇🏼
Why is “behavior” so important for staff+ engineers?
When we talk about behavior, we're referring to the consistent actions and patterns that define how you approach your work and interact with others.
Behavior is not just about your technical prowess; it's about how you influence, lead, and drive outcomes within your organization. It's not just about what you know or your potential; it's about what you've actually done and how you consistently operate following that structure.
Ever wonder why companies place so much emphasis on behavioral interviews? Questions like "Tell me about a time you resolved a conflict with a peer" or "Describe a situation where you influenced organizational change" or "Can you give an example of an innovative solution you developed?" aren't just fillers—they're windows into how you've navigated real-world challenges - your patterns of behaviors!
What you've accomplished before is often the strongest indicator of what you'll achieve in the future. These questions aim to understand not just what you are capable of, but what you have actually done. As the saying goes, "Past behavior is the best predictor of future performance."
When it comes to promotions, especially at the Staff-Plus level, companies typically promote based on demonstrated behaviors and achievements, not just potential.
To be promotable, you need to already be operating at the next level, showcasing the behaviors expected of that role - very similar to what you do in an interview for a different company. Promotions are often lagging indicators, recognizing that you're already performing at the higher level.
An amazing reference here is the book the effective hiring manager by Mark Horstman (co-founder of Manager Tools). It not only teaches you how to design effective behavior interview questions, but also shows you many examples of effective answers for multiple levels and job titles. Strongly recommend!
What strategies & behaviors do top-performing engineers apply to achieve promotions to staff-level & beyond?
Over the past eight years, I've participated in numerous promotion committees and performance calibrations in companies with Staff-Plus levels. This experience has allowed me to observe firsthand what works and what doesn’t.
Throughout this process, I've collected a lot of data on the behaviors and achievements that have enabled engineers to make transformational leaps in their careers (basically being promoted or rated as a top performer).
From this data, we can see both positive behaviors that propel engineers forward and negative behaviors that hold them back. I believe they can help and guide those of us aspiring to be Staff-Plus Engineers.
To better understand these patterns, I've broken down the Staff-Plus promotions into three key transformational leaps:
Leap 1: From Senior/Lead to Staff
Leap 2: From Staff to Senior Staff
Leap 3: To Principal & Beyond
Let's dive into each of these leaps to explore the behaviors that make a difference.
Leap 1: From Senior/Lead to Staff
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