Engineers are not all the same

When we think of engineers, a specific image typically comes to mind.

• Someone hunched over a desk or computer, surrounded by messy papers, wires, or gadgets.

• A “pencil-behind-the-ear”, intensely focused on numbers, formulas, or diagrams, often looking “socially awkward” or absorbed in their own world.

• Someone introverted, highly logical, and obsessed with precision—more about the technical work than the people around them.

But what if I told you all engineers are not the same?

I’ve been having some big conversations lately with engineers who feel like they’ve fallen out of love with engineering.

They entered this field to build, create, and solve problems. But instead, they find themselves buried in CAD drawings, meetings, or bureaucracy—disconnected from the work that once lit them up.

And here’s what I’ve realized: part of the problem is that our industry doesn’t have the language to describe the different kinds of engineering work.

We treat “engineer” like a one-size-fits-all job title. But it’s not. It never has been.

In reality, engineers tend to fall into four distinct buckets of contribution:

1. Ideation – The spark-creators.

   They love the blank slate, imagining what’s possible, and asking the kinds of questions that open doors.

2. Concepting – The bridge-builders.

   They poke holes in ideas, refine them, and shape possibilities into something that can hold weight.

3. Execution – The detail-makers.

   They thrive on tinkering, testing, and turning concepts into real, tangible solutions.

4. Implementation – The finishers.

   They ensure ideas scale, survive the messiness of reality, and actually make it into the world.

Each of these buckets requires different strengths and different emotional intelligence skills.

An engineer who lights up in ideation may feel trapped if placed in implementation.

Someone who thrives on execution may never want to live in the land of abstract concepts.

The problem?

Most job descriptions don’t reflect this. We lump all engineers together, and then we wonder why trust breaks down, people burn out, or talent walks away.

What if we redefined engineering roles to reflect these buckets more clearly?

• Companies would get more out of their talent.

• Engineers would find more fulfillment in their day-to-day.

• And we could start repairing the disconnect between executives, customers, and the people who actually solve the problems.

I’ll be unpacking each of these four buckets with a brilliant engineering friend of mine - Blake Sanchez - in the coming weeks.

We’ll cover things like: what these 4 buckets mean, how an engineer in these areas show up, and what companies can do differently.

Because engineers don’t just need technical training. They need clarity, trust, and the right emotional intelligence skills for the kind of work they’re built to do.

That’s how we reignite the love for engineering—and unleash the innovation that drew us here in the first place.

If this is something you find interesting or know you want to develop your emotional intelligence, click that subscribe button!

I’ll be telling more stories (of my and other engineers’ experiences) that showcase how I built this skill, stories of how this skill transformed the lives of others like us, along with tips and tools to bring into your life.

And if you’re looking to accelerate your growth in emotional intelligence, book a call with me and we can build a pathway to your goals together!

Book a call: https://calendly.com/nikki-insideoutengineering