I'd like the flip that thinking on it's head a bit. It's not about "average" or "better or worse" than average. The need to put yourself and others into some sort of ranking stems from the need to categorize everything into a hierarchy.

I'm talking about something more binary. Good or bad. Progress or stagnation. The right or wrong side of history.

I'm also talking about power. Who determines engineering practice. The engineers or the marketers?

Evidence of power is in the corporate hierarchy. Are there n tiers of middle management? Can an engineer truly make a difference at a company? Will the engineer be able to have a voice in what the priority is?