For many engineering teams, code reviews are a daily ritual focused primarily on catching errors or enforcing style. However, this narrow approach often misses a greater opportunity: using code reviews as a means to nurture growth, collaboration, and continuous learning.

The Challenge with Traditional Code Reviews

When code reviews become little more than rounds of nitpicks and corrections, engineers can feel defensive, disengaged, or even undervalued. The emphasis on finding faultsrather than encouraging improvementscreates a climate where the process feels punitive instead of developmental.

Moreover, if the person reviewing commands authority purely because of seniority or strict adherence to practices, it risks alienating other team members. This dynamic stifles open dialogue and the exchange of diverse perspectives that can strengthen the teams collective expertise.

Shaping a Growth-Oriented Code Review Culture

To transform code reviews into constructive and inclusive experiences, managers can cultivate deliberate practices that highlight coaching and collaboration over gatekeeping:

• Encourage Questions and Curiosity: Frame review comments as inquiries or suggestions rather than blunt directives. For example, instead of “This is wrong,” try “Have you considered an alternative here?” or “Could you explain the reasoning behind this approach?” This opens space for dialogue.
• Focus on Learning Opportunities: Use reviews to share context, design principles, or industry best practices. When juniors receive thoughtful explanations, it builds their skills and confidence without discouraging experimentation.
• Celebrate Positive Feedback: Dont let reviews center solely on mistakes. Highlighting well-implemented patterns or clever solutions reinforces good habits and shows appreciation for effort and creativity.
• Rotate Reviewers: Avoid bottlenecks and power imbalances by sharing review responsibilities across the team. This fosters diverse viewpoints and flattens hierarchies, promoting psychological safety.
• Establish Clear Guidelines: A documented set of respectful communication practices around code review can ensure everyone knows the goal is collaborative improvement rather than criticism.

Setting the Tone as a Manager

Managers play a pivotal role in modeling how code reviews should feel and function. Actions that promote a culture of respect and growth include:

• Participating in reviews with humility, showing that even leaders are learners.
• Recognizing and addressing behaviors that discourage open discoursesuch as dismissiveness or overly harsh language.
• Encouraging engineers to share feedback on the review process itself, iterating on how the team collaborates.

Benefits Beyond Better Code

When code reviews evolve into spaces for genuine development, the team gains more than cleaner commits. This approach strengthens trust, builds shared understanding, and fosters a culture where continuous learning is embedded into daily workflows. Developers feel empowered to ask questions and stretch their capabilities without fear.

Moving away from gatekeeping to growth-centric reviews ultimately leads to happier teams and higher quality products. By intentionally nurturing this mindset, engineering managers can unlock the full potential of their teams collective intelligence.