I've run into so many people in organizations who look at me like I'm from another planet when I start asking "why".

As an engineer I've always found that knowing why, knowing that there is a real customer out there who really wants what I'm making is very motivating.

So often people just come to me because their boss told them to go get engineering to make this thing. They don't know why, and sadly, their boss doesn't know why either as it was just passed to them from an executive mandate. And there is lots of pressure to get to done ASAP!