Yesterday I was talking to a manager in her office and she referred to me as an "expert." I not sure how someone after really only two years gets this designation, especially with the attrition we are seeing lately. I noted that the process of elimination does not make one an "expert," it only makes them an individual.
Some of the leavings are for family reasons, others for career opportunities. Ironic that their leaving makes my opportunities more fantastic, but realistically will make things harder.
Sometimes younger engineers don't get it, but you really do want a peer group. Just a few, or maybe more than a few, that can question your assumptions and make sure you aren't jumping off a cliff. This will be a challenge for the time being.
It also will make me be more careful in mentoring the younger engineers: making them question the processes, their assumptions, and how to attack problems from all angles. This might be the biggest challenge of them all, but possibly the most gratifying.
