Hanselminutes with Scott Hanselman Competence builds confidence with .NET Principal Engineer Safia Abdalla
Oct 9, 2025
Safia Abdalla, a Principal Engineer at Microsoft, dives into the journey of building competence and confidence in tech. She discusses the value of pair programming, how stepping away from problems can spark solutions, and the pressure new engineers face in today's landscape. Safia highlights the critical role of mentorship in fostering trust and supporting early-career growth. They also explore the evolving relationship between engineers and AI, emphasizing the importance of code review skills in a world where AI-generated code is becoming common.
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Grow Confidence By Practicing Tough Work
- Build competence by doing hard things in supportive environments.
- Seek challenges with sponsorship and repeat them to grow confidence.
Compounding Anxieties For New Engineers
- Early-career engineers face compounding anxieties from AI, interview culture, and ambiguous career rubrics.
- This ambiguity amplifies stress and makes coaching more complex.
Seniors Should Send The Ladder Down
- Senior engineers must proactively build psychological safety and mentorship for juniors.
- Make yourself available to review PRs and sponsor learning instead of blaming juniors.