Iztok Smolic Challenges the “10x Engineer” Myth, Calls for 10x Teams

Iztok Smolic, CEO of Agiledrop, challenges the long-standing myth of the “10x engineer.” He traces the idea back to a 1968 study on programmer productivity and its revival as a tech industry buzzword, often linked to coding speed or brilliance. However, Smolic argues that individual brilliance rarely translates into long-term value. Through real-world hiring stories, he describes how star developers with impressive skills or charisma often slowed projects, undermined teams, or poisoned culture despite appearing productive.

Iztok emphasizes that integrity, consistency, and collaboration matter more than raw talent. He warns that chasing rockstar hires can lead to hidden costs such as technical debt, missed deadlines, and lasting morale damage. Instead, he advocates for building “10x teams” by hiring for character as well as competence, encouraging knowledge sharing, investing in tooling, and rewarding reliable delivery. For Smolic, the true multiplier effect comes not from individuals but from teams that consistently deliver software while making each other better.