How to raise concerns without being seen as the problem

Your job isn't to be a cheerleader. But it's also not to be the person who only points out problems.

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You’ve been around long enough to see the warning signs. The deadline that makes no sense. The “plan” that’s really just wishful thinking with a Gantt chart.

So you speak up. You raise the concern. You do what senior engineers are supposed to do.

And then you get the feedback: “Your tone is too negative.”

This is one of the most frustrating dynamics in engineering leadership. You’re experienced enough to spot problems early, but you don’t have the authority to actually fix them. You’re expected to be a leader, but you feel that leadership means just nodding along.

Sometimes that feedback is right. Not because your concerns are wr…