Growing as a Software Engineer: Learning, Sharing, and Impact

Career growth in software engineering is often described as a matter of accumulating technical skills, mastering new tools, or moving into more complex systems.

In reality, the journey is more nuanced.

In this episode of Le Podcast on Emerging Leadership, I had the pleasure of welcoming Emilien Macchi, Senior Principal Software Engineer at Red Hat, to discuss how learning and sharing have shaped his career.

Learning as a continuous practice

Emilien is a long-time contributor to OpenStack, having been involved nearly since the inception of the project. Originally from France and now based in Canada, he has built his career in distributed, open-source environments.

A recurring theme in our conversation is that learning never stops. And more importantly, learning rarely happens alone.

We discuss how practices such as:

peer reviews
pair programming
open discussions
and shared problem-solving

contribute not only to better code, but to better engineers.

Collaboration, including remote work

Emilien shares a perspective that may surprise some: he believes that collaboration can be easier and better in remote contexts.

We explore why remote work, when supported by the right practices, can:

improve focus
encourage clearer communication
and create more inclusive collaboration

This naturally connects with earlier conversations on distributed teams and asynchronous work.

Growing beyond technical skills

Of course, I also asked Emilien what he believes are the most important things to develop as a software engineer.

The answer goes beyond technical skills.

We talk about:

communication
curiosity
responsibility
and the ability to learn with others

These capabilities shape long-term impact far more than any specific technology.

A reflection on practitioner leadership

As Emilien was also one of the first people to leave a written review on Goodreads, I asked him what he thought of I am a Software Engineer and I am in Charge.

This led to a broader reflection on responsibility, ownership, and how engineers can increase both their impact and satisfaction at work.