Counterpoint: don't.<p>The problem with the kind of dirty work the article suggests is that, often, it's invisible. The benefits of solving a lot of these problems are just far enough removed the work that you will work your arse off and other teams will be the ones shipping faster and getting the credit. You'll spend your day fighting fires and the guys running around with a can of gas and a pack of matches are the ones who the execs will see "making things happen".<p>If you get a manager who understands what you do and has your back, and you get satisfaction from a job well done it can be rewarding. But if either of those changes you can also be on a fast track to burnnout and disillusionment.