When most managers talk about the “10x developer” they are thinking a developer who can single handedly produce 10x as much code.

I do agree with part of the article. The best way to be a 10x developer is to be a force multiplier.

I consider myself a capable architect. I can do front end (barely), back end development, database administration, devops/netops (with AWS), talk to customers, create presentations, strategize with CxOs and lead teams. I have at some point in the recent past done all of it.

When I was the dev lead, I was very much a {some multiplier} developer but only because I could mentor and guide other developers, Devops and to a lesser extent QA. My resume of things that I could honestly say “I led” or spearheaded in a short amount of time was pretty impressive.

On the other hand, I purposefully self demoted got another job at a smaller company where any given day I’m wearing one of those hats - developer, software architect, Devops or AWS infrastructure architect.

But as an individual contributor who spends at most 20% of my time mentoring, I’m nowhere near the force multiplier I use to be. Anytime I am playing the role of the “multi certified AWS Architect” to clients, or spending time talking to customers as the “software architect responsible for X”. I’m not developing. My value add over having multiple people having those roles is only the time saved on communication overhead and hopefully I don’t do too much “negative work”.