Why Managers Should Care About Engineering (Even If They Don’t Code)

Photo by Jp Valery on Unsplash

Engineering is magic. Okay, maybe not the wand-waving kind, but the kind that transforms chaotic ideas into tangible, scalable, and efficient systems. And yet, many managers treat engineering like a mysterious black box. You pour in requests, timelines, coffee, and voilà — something functional (hopefully) emerges.

But here’s the twist: great managers do care about engineering, not because they want to write code but because they want their teams to thrive. Let me break it down if you’ve ever wondered why you should prioritize understanding the engineering mindset.

The Cost of Order is Energy

Every system — whether in physics, engineering, or your team’s workflow — requires energy to maintain order. In engineering, that “energy” is problem-solving, technical rigor, and a relentless drive for optimization. For managers, it’s about ensuring that energy flows smoothly.

Imagine your team as a finely tuned machine. When you understand the gears (read: engineering), you can anticipate where friction might arise. Maybe it’s a lack of clear requirements, or perhaps it’s an overly ambitious timeline. Without breaking it down, you risk creating bottlenecks or — worse — a burnt-out team.

Your App is a Suitcase — Pack Light

Think of your app like a suitcase. If you’re going on a weekend trip, you don’t stuff it with five winter coats, three coffee mugs, and a waffle iron “just in case.” Why? Because overpacking makes everything harder. Your bag is heavier, harder to carry, and might even cost you extra at check-in.

Now imagine your app weighed down with irrelevant files — unused libraries, oversized datasets, or outdated executables. The result? Deployment becomes sluggish, scaling costs skyrocket, and maintenance feels like dragging that overpacked suitcase up a hill.

If you view your app as a black hole, indiscriminately absorbing Python scripts, Excel files, and outdated JARs, you’re essentially watching your budget disappear. This chaotic mass of files consumes valuable resources, slowly but surely eroding your financial bottom line.

Garbage In — Money Out (Image by Author)

Cheaper, Faster and more Robust (Image by Author)

Without Breaking It

The phrase “without breaking it” is a mantra for engineers. But for managers, it’s a challenge: how do you push for speed and innovation without pushing your team to the brink? This is where caring about engineering pays off. When you respect the systems and processes, you become a better advocate for sustainable growth.

Instead of asking, “Why can’t we just ship this faster?” you start asking, “What does the team need to deliver this effectively?” It’s not about micromanaging — it’s about recognizing the intricate balance engineers maintain daily.

Don’t put your software engineers in this situation for adding quickly feature after feature without refactoring.

Engineering Isn’t Just for Engineers

Here’s the kicker: engineering principles apply to more than just code. They’re the backbone of structured problem-solving, critical thinking, and building resilient systems — skills every manager needs. By understanding engineering, you’re equipping yourself with tools to approach challenges more systematically.

It’s like learning a new language. You don’t need to become fluent, but understanding the basics allows you to connect, collaborate, and empathize. And that connection? It’s what transforms managers into leaders.

Modularity Is Great (but not easy)

If you’ve got tidy building blocks, the possibilities are endless — you can patch things up, build from scratch, and create something remarkable. But without documentation? Well, you’re left with a pile of Ikea furniture and no assembly instructions — lots of potential, but no clue how to put it all together.

For going from blocks to full-fledged product, you need clear instructions and planning

Delivery Is Not The End

As a project or product evolves over the years, more developers inevitably leave their fingerprints on the codebase. With every new feature, patch, or quick fix, entropy creeps in — the system becomes more complex, harder to navigate, and prone to breaking. Left unchecked, this disorder snowballs into chaos. That’s where refactoring comes in. Think of it as the energy required to fight back the natural decay, restoring order and ensuring the system remains functional and scalable. Without regular refactoring, what started as a smooth, efficient structure risks devolving into a tangled mess of spaghetti code.

Then you can’t deliver new features or at a very high cost, you compromise clients satisfaction and you can’t scale and sell to new prospects.

Natural evolution of your repo/app/software code base

Wrapping Up

Caring about engineering isn’t about diving into lines of code or mastering obscure jargon. It’s about acknowledging the energy and structure that engineers bring to the table — and learning how to support it without breaking it. When you do, you’ll find that your team isn’t just functional; it’s unstoppable.

So next time you’re tempted to shrug off the engineering side of things, remember: the cost of order is energy. And great managers know how to keep the energy flowing.

True speed isn’t just about moving fast — it’s about moving smart, avoiding chaos, and building momentum toward sustainable success.