How do you empower junior engineers as a senior engineer?

As a senior engineer, you play a critical role in mentoring and guiding junior engineers on your team. But how do you empower junior engineers effectively?

Too often, senior engineers claim all the challenging, complex tasks for themselves while delegating only the more straightforward ones to junior developers. While this may seem efficient in the short term, it overlooks valuable growth opportunities for junior team members. Without exposure to complex challenges, they miss the chance to learn, develop problem-solving skills, and build confidence in their abilities.

Another common issue is gatekeeping meetings. Senior engineers may think, "What could less experienced team members contribute?" and exclude them from important discussions. This is a short-sighted approach. Including them in decision-making enhances their understanding of the approach and fosters ownership in the chosen solution.

Senior engineers who remain open-minded and actively involve junior developers in meaningful work and conversations are enablers. They create an environment where knowledge is shared, perspectives are broadened, and everyone on the team grows together.