It Works on My Machine: Why Engineers Are Misunderstood (and What They Can Do About It)
summary
Unpacks three myths: engineers are bad communicators, don’t care about the business, and are unapproachable, with concrete examples (dismissive “works on my machine,” jargon, opaque decisions) and the measurable harms (lost trust, stalled launches, confused teammates). Identifies cultural “bugs” that reinforce those myths and prescribes actionable fixes: explain why not just how, translate implementation into customer impact so impact beats implementation, practice curiosity about other teams, and keep the door open to rebuild influence.
AI-written summary · about
chapters (6)
- 0:00Introduction
- 1:37Hidden cost of 'It works on my machine'
- 5:57Common myths about engineers
- 9:52Engineers reinforcing stereotypes
- 11:59Practical fixes to myths
- 14:06Closing and call to action
related talks
34mThe Art and Science of Communication
30mHow to talk like an Engineer
01h 04mAre You a Screwdriver?
31mStorytelling for Engineers
40mWhy Engineer Voices Don’t Get Heard — Practical Tips for Engineers to Influence Product Decisions
17mThe Industry Standard hoax: How Engineers Can Steer Product Decisions
42mThe Art of Engineering Diplomacy - Driving Significant Changes in Large Org.
38mEngineering Engineering: More than the sum of our parts