When I first transitioned from a senior role to a principal engineer, I found myself thinking a lot about leadership. It’s not about being the one with all the answers, but about guiding a team to build something great together. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you can’t just tell people what to do — you have to show them. For me, gaining trust and setting a high standard for quality and collaboration isn’t a top-down mandate. It’s about setting a precedent through action.
The Walk-the-Walk Mentality
It’s tempting to think that at a certain level, you’re above the “small stuff.” But I’ve found the opposite to be true. The small, often overlooked tasks are where you can make the biggest impact.
I remember when a critical bug was found in a new service we had just launched. Instead of just assigning it to a junior member of the team, I rolled up my sleeves, debugged the issue alongside them, and walked them through my thought process. By doing this, I wasn’t just fixing a bug — I was demonstrating how to approach a high-stakes problem with composure and technical rigor. It showed my team that no task is too small or beneath me, and it built a foundation of mutual respect.
The Code Review That Sets the Tone
Code reviews are a great place to set a precedent. As a principal engineer, my feedback isn’t just about catching bugs — it’s about raising the bar for the entire team.
I make sure my own pull requests are impeccably clean, well-documented, and follow the team’s style guide to the letter. When reviewing others’ code, I don’t just point out what’s wrong. I offer constructive suggestions, explain the “why” behind my comments, and always highlight what I think they did well.
This isn’t about being a gatekeeper. It’s about a collaborative process of making each other better. By showing the level of quality I expect in my own work, I encourage others to strive for the same.
Create a Culture of Psychological Safety
Ultimately, setting a precedent is about creating an environment where people feel safe to take risks, ask questions, and learn from mistakes. If I want my team to be transparent and open about challenges, I have to be the first to admit when I don’t know something or when I’ve made a mistake. Sometimes I’ll intentionally make a mistake to demonstrate vulnerability.
This mindset fosters a sense of shared ownership and accountability. It’s about showing my team that we’re all in this together — and that trust is the most valuable currency we have.
TL;DR
- Lead by example — get your hands dirty, no matter how small the task.
- Set the standard — use your own work and code reviews to demonstrate the level of quality and collaboration you expect.
- Build trust — create a culture of psychological safety by being open about your own mistakes and focusing on collaborative problem-solving.
By setting a precedent, you not only gain trust — you empower your team to operate at a higher standard.