[drlemonpepper]

>Some of your engineers are already deferring decisions to other engineers

are you saying the ones doing the deferring should be managers, or the ones being deferred to?

[alphazard]

The engineers being asked for guidance should have more influence according to the organization's chain of command, since their influence is already being used voluntarily to the advantage of others.

This happens in every organization and you can't really fake it. The alternative to asking another person for help is becoming a low-performing lone wolf. Given the choice, people choose to reveal who they believe is competent.