This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott
Is this you? Do you feel like the hamster going round and round on the wheel and getting nowhere in your engineering career and life?
What are you doing to make the most out of what you have in front of you right now? Can you afford to wait until the world gets nice again, whenever that’s going to be?
I can’t.
Engineers, NOW is the time to DO something — get off the hamster wheel and act. Make something happen.
Here Are 8 Tips That You Can Use to Help You Get off That Wheel:
1. Do a Reality Check on Your Strategic Plan
Pull out your strategic plan for 2022. What projects are in limbo? Maybe they got put on hold because the key players were swamped and didn’t have time to work on those earlier. Which ones could or should be handled now because the key players have more flexibility?
2. Reach Out to Clients
Which engineering clients have you been out of touch with? Sure, the pandemic has curtailed lunches and conferences, but you still have a phone and email. Who do you need to reach out to and see how they’re doing?
3. Who Needs What?
What services can you provide that your engineering clients are unaware you even offer? In my work with different companies, many firms do a fair to poor job of cross-selling their services. This often occurs because employees are too busy or lack the information needed to cross-sell. That sounds like a good challenge to take on now — educating staff about new ways you can serve clients.
4. Learn Something New
Assess your talent pool. Determine which skills different employees need to improve, then provide the opportunity to do so. Have them develop new knowledge, skills, and abilities that will help your firm, your clients, and prospective clients.
5. Find the Weak Links
Review your operations. In times like this, the problems tend to rise to the surface. Weak links and poor performers become more visible. Act now to resolve those issues.
6. Check on Your Own Goals
On the personal side, review your goals for the year. Which ones have you let slip — or maybe just ignored? Now is a good time to see if those goals are still pertinent to you. Throw away what doesn’t matter and work on what does.
7. Get Out the Machete
What’s been on your to-do list forever that you can now take care of? At my house, the to-do list includes cleaning out the jungle we think of as our backyard. When you’re busy, weeding and cutting back ivy are not priority items.
8. Just Be
Give yourself time to just be. Most of us have had our lives turned upside-down to some degree. Use this time to act by not doing. Listen to nature, observe the birds, cuddle with your loved ones. And breathe.
About the Author Pamela A. Scott
Pam is an executive coach to CEOs and business owners, focusing on communication, managing people, leadership, and emotional intelligence. Her tagline says it best: “Numbers may drive the business, but people drive the numbers.”®
Pam started her company more than 20 years ago. For much of that time, Pam has coached engineers and architects to be leaders in their companies.
She brings more than 25 years of communications expertise and leadership experience as:
- A national award-winning newspaper editor
- A communications specialist writing for Congress
- A successful entrepreneur specializing in coaching clients to reach their full potential
Clients have ranged from solo practitioners to companies such as Turner Broadcasting System, Coca Cola, Federal Reserve Bank, and engineering firms such as Walter P. Moore. For 15 years, Pam was a member of Vistage, an international organization of CEOs.
Pam has a master’s in education and human development from George Washington University and a bachelor’s in communication from Bethany College. In Toastmasters, she has achieved Advanced Communicator Bronze and Advanced Leadership Bronze levels.
We would love to hear any questions you might have or stories you might share on getting the most out of your engineering career and life.
Please leave your comments, feedback or questions in the section below.
To your success,
Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success
