It's the culture, not experience

The other day, I stumbled across a linked-in post suggesting that you shouldn’t hire senior engineers because they promote the status quo. I almost spit out my coffee. Their reasoning? Senior-only teams supposedly create:

• Echo chambers of outdated practices
• Zero knowledge transfer
• Expensive solutions to simple problems
• Teams full of "architects" who spend more time sketching diagrams than writing code

...wow.  Blame the person, not the culture.

Excuse me?

Let me tell you why this couldn’t be further from the truth.

These issues have less to do with a person’s title or experience and everything to do with the culture of the team they’re in. Sure, some people naturally challenge norms, pushing for alternative approaches, while others prefer the well-trodden path. But whether someone champions innovation or defaults to the status quo often depends on the environment they’ve been working in.

Some people have been conditioned to stick to the rules because they’ve learned the hard way that stepping outside the box can lead to consequences—like broken deployments or the dreaded “We need to talk” Slack message. And that’s not just senior engineers; juniors can be risk-averse, too.

Speaking of junior engineers, they’re often celebrated for asking the so-called “stupid questions.” But let’s not forget: senior engineers can and should be asking those same questions. The difference? They usually have the experience to spot potential landmines and the wisdom to ask questions like, “Have we considered this other approach?” or “What if we’re solving the wrong problem entirely?”

The key to fostering innovation, breaking out of echo chambers, and ensuring fresh ideas thrive isn’t about stacking your team with a particular “level.” It’s about building a culture that:

1. Encourages curiosity: If someone asks “Why?” or “What if?” the answer shouldn’t be a side-eye or a shrug.
2. Rewards thoughtful risk-taking: Celebrate experiments—even the ones that fail (but, you know, maybe don’t celebrate all the failures).
3. Values diverse perspectives: Cross-pollination of ideas comes from having a mix of experiences, backgrounds, and yes, levels of seniority.

In short, if you want a team that challenges the status quo, look beyond job titles. Build a culture that supports experimentation, open dialogue, and the occasional wild idea that just might work.

The next time someone suggests that hiring senior engineers is a bad idea, just remember: age and experience don’t determine a person’s openness to innovation. Culture does.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go ask my senior engineer why the build’s still broken.