I'm managing a team where one engineer is trying to work on multiple areas but isn't mastering any. How can I help them focus and develop expertise?

answers-v3

Burrows Delta	Andrew Model
0.5647	1.0

Absolutely, this is a common challenge in high-performing engineering teams, and it’s great that you’re proactively seeking to support your engineer’s growth. Here’s how I’d approach this, drawing on the frameworks and practical advice from Leading Effective Engineering Teams and recent leadership discussions:

Recognize the “Generalist” Antipattern When an engineer spreads themselves too thin across multiple domains, they risk becoming a “generalist” without true mastery in any area. While versatility is valuable, it can dilute depth, ownership, and impact. You’ll often notice that such engineers are involved everywhere, but their contributions lack the depth needed for critical problem-solving or innovation. Tasks they start may often be handed off to specialists for completion, and their sense of ownership can be diminished .

Action:

Have a candid conversation with the engineer about the value of developing a T-shaped skill set: deep expertise in one area (the vertical bar of the T) while maintaining the ability to collaborate across domains (the horizontal bar) . 2. Guide Them to Focus on High-Impact Areas Encourage the engineer to identify where their unique strengths and interests align with the team’s most critical needs. Ask them to reflect on what they do with relative ease that others find challenging, and where their contributions can have the most significant impact. Concentration—doing one major thing at a time—is the secret to effectiveness in engineering .

Action:

Work together to select one or two key areas for them to focus on, ideally where their strengths and the team’s priorities intersect. Set clear, measurable goals for deepening expertise in these areas. 3. Structure Opportunities for Mastery Support their development by providing structured opportunities to build depth:

Assign them ownership of a specific module or project area. Encourage participation in code reviews, design discussions, and technical deep-dives related to their focus area. Schedule regular check-ins to discuss progress, challenges, and learning goals . Action:

Recommend they dedicate time each week to hands-on work, learning, and reflection in their chosen area. Suggest attending relevant workshops, conferences, or online courses to accelerate their growth . 4. Foster a Culture of Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration Encourage the engineer to share their learning journey with the team—through documentation, tech talks, or mentoring others. This not only reinforces their expertise but also builds social capital and trust within the team .

Action:

Pair them with a mentor or senior engineer who can provide guidance and feedback. Create opportunities for them to present their work or lead discussions in their area of focus. 5. Regularly Revisit and Adjust Growth is iterative. Check in regularly to ensure the engineer feels challenged but not overwhelmed, and that their focus area remains aligned with both their aspirations and the team’s evolving needs .

Action:

Use one-on-ones to discuss their progress, celebrate milestones, and adjust focus as needed. Encourage them to reflect on their journey and identify new areas for growth as they build mastery. By helping your engineer move from breadth to depth, you’re not only supporting their professional development but also strengthening your team’s overall capability and resilience. If you’d like, we can explore how to structure a personalized development plan or discuss strategies for balancing specialization with team flexibility. You might also be interested in how to support career growth and specialization for engineers or address lack of focus in engineering team members in more detail.

chatgpt

Burrows Delta	Andrew Model
0.224	0.9997

Great question — this is a classic tech leadership challenge, and one that Addy Osmani has addressed in both Leading Effective Engineering Teams and various talks.

Let’s unpack it in Addy’s voice and style:

"Generalists are valuable, but even they need depth in something to truly accelerate impact. Your job as a leader is to help your engineers align their interests with high-leverage areas for the team — and then create space for depth."

Here’s how you can approach this:

1. Have a focused 1:1 on growth and impact

Start with curiosity, not criticism:

“What areas are you most excited about?”
“Where do you feel you're making the most meaningful impact?”
“Are there areas where you feel spread too thin?”

As Addy might say: “Help them reflect, not just redirect.”

From this, identify:

what they want to go deep in, and
what the team needs someone to go deep in.

Look for overlap — that’s the sweet spot.

2. Define a "spike" area

Encourage them to pick one area to go deep on for the next 1–2 quarters. This doesn't mean abandoning all other work, but it means prioritizing learning, ownership, and measurable impact in that domain.

“Specialization isn't forever. It's a season. But mastery requires momentum.”

Use goals like:

Owning a system or service end-to-end
Driving performance improvements
Writing internal documentation or leading knowledge-sharing

3. Create space for deep work

Make sure they’re not constantly getting pulled into support or context-switching across projects. Addy often stresses minimizing cognitive overhead. That means:

Reducing the number of concurrent responsibilities
Saying “no” to low-leverage tasks
Protecting time for learning and contribution

4. Celebrate depth as much as delivery

Publicly recognize not just what they build, but the craft and expertise they bring to it. In Addy’s teams, engineers who master areas become go-to people, not just executors.

“People thrive when they see their skills respected — and used.”

Would you like a sample coaching plan or template to help guide that engineer's focus over the next few months?

basic-gpt4o

Burrows Delta	Andrew Model
0.2884	0.9964

Certainly! Helping an engineer focus and develop expertise is a common challenge, but it's also an opportunity for growth for both the individual and the team. Here are some strategies you might consider:

Understand Their Interests and Goals: Have a one-on-one conversation to understand what areas they are truly passionate about. Sometimes engineers spread themselves thin because they haven't found their niche yet. Encourage them to reflect on what excites them the most and where they see themselves growing.
Set Clear Objectives: Work together to set clear, achievable goals that align with both their interests and the team's needs. This could involve identifying a specific project or technology they can focus on. Make sure these goals are measurable and time-bound to provide a sense of progress and achievement.
Encourage Depth Over Breadth: Explain the value of deep expertise in one area before branching out. Use examples of successful engineers who have made significant contributions by focusing deeply on a particular domain. Highlight how mastery in one area can lead to greater impact and recognition.
Provide Resources and Support: Offer resources such as books, courses, or mentorship opportunities that can help them deepen their knowledge. Pair them with a more experienced engineer who can guide them and provide feedback on their work.
Create Opportunities for Focused Work: Ensure they have the time and space to concentrate on their chosen area. This might mean adjusting their workload or shielding them from distractions and unrelated tasks. Encourage them to block out dedicated time for deep work.
Regular Check-ins and Feedback: Schedule regular check-ins to discuss their progress and any challenges they might be facing. Provide constructive feedback and celebrate their achievements to keep them motivated.
Encourage Sharing and Teaching: Once they start gaining expertise, encourage them to share their knowledge with the team through presentations, documentation, or mentoring others. Teaching is a powerful way to solidify one's understanding and build confidence.
Be Patient and Supportive: Mastery takes time, and there will be ups and downs along the way. Be patient and supportive, and remind them that it's okay to make mistakes as long as they learn from them.

By guiding them through this process, you'll help them develop a deeper expertise that not only benefits them personally but also strengthens the team as a whole.

openai-generated-prompt

Burrows Delta	Andrew Model
0.2783	0.9902

Hey there! It sounds like you're in a situation that many engineering managers face. Balancing breadth and depth in skill development is a common challenge. Let's dive into some strategies to help your engineer focus and develop expertise.

1. Clarify Goals and Priorities: Start by having a one-on-one conversation with your engineer. Understand their interests and career goals. Are they trying to explore multiple areas because they're unsure of what they want to specialize in, or is it a case of FOMO (fear of missing out)? Once you have clarity, help them prioritize one or two areas that align with both their interests and the team's needs.

2. Create a Learning Path: Once priorities are set, work together to create a learning path. This could include identifying key projects, resources, or mentors that can help them deepen their expertise. Encourage them to set specific, measurable goals for their learning journey.

3. Encourage Deep Work: Help them carve out dedicated time for deep work on their chosen area. This might mean reducing context-switching by limiting their involvement in unrelated projects. Encourage practices like time-blocking to ensure they have uninterrupted periods to focus.

4. Foster a Culture of Mastery: Encourage a culture where mastery is valued. Celebrate small wins and progress in their chosen area. This not only boosts motivation but also reinforces the importance of depth over breadth.

5. Provide Feedback and Support: Regularly check in to provide feedback and support. Offer constructive insights on their progress and help them overcome any roadblocks. Remember, psychological safety is key—ensure they feel comfortable discussing challenges without fear of judgment.

6. Document and Share Knowledge: Encourage them to document their learnings and share insights with the team. This not only reinforces their understanding but also contributes to the team's collective knowledge.

Protip: Encourage them to teach others what they learn. Teaching is a powerful way to solidify knowledge and identify any gaps in understanding.

Ultimately, the goal is to help them find a balance between exploring new areas and developing deep expertise. By providing clarity, support, and a structured path, you'll empower them to grow in a way that's both fulfilling and impactful for the team. Keep fostering that high trust, low ego environment, and you'll see great results.

cl-gradio-pe1

Burrows Delta	Andrew Model
0.1751	0.9747

Addressing this is all about striking the right balance. Sit down with the engineer and have a focused conversation about their strengths and interests. Help them identify one specific area of the project where they can develop mastery. Encourage them to dive deep there, while still keeping a general sense of the project. This way, they gain depth without losing breadth. Pair them with specialists to learn from, and provide regular feedback. Creating a tailored learning plan can guide their focus and foster growth. Remember, progress towards mastery is a huge motivator, so align their goals with the team's needs.

basic-gpt3.5

Burrows Delta	Andrew Model
0.2296	0.8088

To help the engineer focus and develop expertise in a specific area, you can try the following strategies:

Set clear goals and expectations: Clearly define the engineer's role and responsibilities, and discuss with them the importance of focusing on one area to develop expertise.
Provide guidance and mentorship: Offer guidance and support to help the engineer identify their strengths and interests, and guide them towards choosing a specific area to focus on.
Encourage continuous learning: Encourage the engineer to pursue additional training, courses, or certifications in their chosen area of expertise to deepen their knowledge and skills.
Provide opportunities for specialization: Assign projects or tasks that align with the engineer's chosen area of expertise, and provide opportunities for them to showcase their skills and knowledge in that specific area.
Offer feedback and support: Provide regular feedback on the engineer's progress and performance, and offer support and resources to help them develop their expertise in their chosen area.

By implementing these strategies, you can help the engineer focus on developing expertise in a specific area and ultimately improve their overall performance and contribution to the team.

tmpt-me

Burrows Delta	Andrew Model
0.1912	0.7025

It's great that you're looking to support your engineer in developing deeper expertise. Start by having a candid conversation with them about their career goals and interests. This will help you understand where their true passions lie and guide them towards a specialization that aligns with both their interests and the team's needs. Encourage them to focus on developing a T-shaped skill set, where they can have deep expertise in one area while still maintaining a broad understanding of other domains.

You can also pair them with a mentor who has expertise in their area of interest. This mentorship can provide guidance, support, and hands-on experience, which are crucial for deepening their knowledge. Additionally, consider setting specific goals and milestones for their development in the chosen area, and provide opportunities for them to work on projects that require this expertise. Finally, encourage them to engage in continuous learning through courses, workshops, or conferences to further solidify their skills.

basic-gpt4o-mini

Burrows Delta	Andrew Model
0.2645	0.6276

It's great that you're looking to support your engineer in developing their expertise. Here are some strategies you can implement to help them focus and grow:

Identify Interests and Strengths: Start by having a one-on-one conversation to understand their interests and strengths. Ask them what areas they are most passionate about and where they feel they can contribute the most. This will help you guide them toward a specialization that aligns with their interests.
Set Clear Goals: Work with them to set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. This could involve mastering a particular technology, completing a project, or contributing to a specific area of the codebase. Clear goals will provide direction and motivation.
Encourage Deep Work: Promote the concept of "deep work," where they can focus on a single area without distractions. Encourage them to allocate dedicated time blocks for deep work on their chosen specialization. This can help them immerse themselves in the subject matter and develop expertise more quickly.
Provide Resources and Training: Offer resources such as books, online courses, or workshops that are relevant to their area of interest. Encourage them to participate in training sessions or conferences that can deepen their knowledge and skills.
Mentorship and Pair Programming: Pair them with a more experienced engineer who can mentor them in their chosen area. This can provide them with guidance, feedback, and the opportunity to learn through collaboration.
Foster a Growth Mindset: Encourage a growth mindset by emphasizing that mastery takes time and effort. Celebrate small wins and progress, and remind them that it's okay to make mistakes along the way. This will help them stay motivated and resilient.
Limit Scope: If they are currently involved in multiple projects, consider limiting their scope to one or two key areas. This will allow them to focus their efforts and avoid spreading themselves too thin.
Regular Check-ins: Schedule regular check-ins to discuss their progress, challenges, and any adjustments needed in their goals or focus areas. This will help keep them accountable and provide an opportunity for ongoing support.
Encourage Knowledge Sharing: Create opportunities for them to share what they learn with the team, whether through presentations, documentation, or informal discussions. Teaching others can reinforce their own understanding and build confidence.
Lead by Example: As a leader, demonstrate your own commitment to continuous learning and specialization. Share your experiences and how you’ve navigated similar challenges. This can inspire them to take ownership of their development.

By implementing these strategies, you can help your engineer focus on developing expertise in a specific area while also fostering a supportive and growth-oriented environment.