Engineering Management Institute

UPCOMING TRAINING

Call us 800.920.4007

Blog

5 Things We’ve Learned from the Civil Engineering CEO Show

By

This is a guest blog by Leanna Michniuk from BigTime Software

Civil Engineering CEO ShowGood advice is invaluable. And for engineers, hearing advice from leaders in their industry can provide new ways of thinking and even a boost of confidence and reassurance in their work. BigTime Software recently partnered with the Engineering Management Institute as a founding sponsor of the show, The Civil Engineering CEO show, that features interviews with CEOs of leading civil engineering firms on important industry topics. The goal of the show has been to connect engineers with industry leaders to hear their firsthand advice on important topics. The CEOs who have appeared on the show have done just that by sharing with us how they are approaching some of today’s challenges and opportunities including the talent shortage, the abundance of infrastructure work, the hybrid work environment, and more.

Because there have been so many great words of wisdom and amazing guests on the show, we thought we would share the top five things we’ve learned from The Civil Engineering CEO show so far. Keep on reading to hear some sage advice from pros who have lived it themselves.
[Read more…] about 5 Things We’ve Learned from the Civil Engineering CEO Show

The Power of a Personal Brand for Engineering Managers

By

This is a guest post by Patrick Sweet, P.Eng., MBA, PMP, CSEP

BrandWhether you realize it or not, you have a brand. This may come as a surprise to you. After all, you’re an engineering manager, and not some sort of company or a product. But it’s true. In fact, everyone has a brand. Everyone is known for something among their friends and colleagues. The real question is not so much whether you have a brand but rather what it is, whether you’re managing it, and whether you’re taking advantage of it in your career.

Back to Basics: What Is a Brand?

The best way to think of a brand is that it’s a summary of who you are, what you do, and what you believe in. In other words, your brand is the shorthand way the world thinks about you.

personal brand

In the business world, brands are manicured and managed with precision. Volvo, for instance, prides itself on making some of the safest cars in the world, and they promote that fact about themselves. They want to be known as the “safe car” company in the minds of their customers and potential customers. Walmart, on the other hand, has a strong brand tied to saving people money. Both are very different, but very strong brands.

To help brands stick in the minds of their customers, companies use things like logos, slogans, jingles, color pallets, fonts, and many other devices to communicate their brand.

Branding is incredibly important when it comes to positioning a company. It makes it easier for a customer to link an organization or product to a need they have. The easier it is to make that link, the more likely the customer will chose a particular solution.

The Power of Branding for Individuals

[Read more…] about The Power of a Personal Brand for Engineering Managers

Building Your Personal Brand as a Problem Solver: The Right Message at the Right Time

By

This is a guest blog by Carl Friesen

problem solverBeing recognized as a problem solver in your organization, profession, or industry can bring big rewards. These include distinguishing yourself from people who just focus on performing a task. As a result, you can earn more respect from the people you work with. You have more control over the work you do, who you do it for, and how much you’re paid.

But to gain that reputation as a problem solver, you’ll need to gain buy-in for your proposed solutions from the people you work with. To do that, you need to communicate your ideas in terms understandable to those you need to convince. This applies whether you’re trying to “sell” your idea to one person — your supervisor — or convince thousands by writing an article for a national publication.

problem solver

Just like living beings, ideas have a lifespan, and to get buy-in you need to work with that fact.

[Read more…] about Building Your Personal Brand as a Problem Solver: The Right Message at the Right Time

Personal Brand: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

By

This is a guest post by Gabe Lett, FSMPS, CPSM, LPC

A personal brand is the perception a person has of you. Rather than the overall perception of a company, a personal brand is specific to you as an employee of your company. The reason for the elevation of personal branding has to do with the digital capabilities of social media and the ease of building a personal business network that spans geographies. The better you establish your personal brand, the more opportunities you bring to your company.

What Ingredients Make a Personal Brand?

A brand is simply the total experience people have when interacting with a company. What people feel and experience when they interact with a product or service makes its brand. Therefore, a personal brand is made from:

  1. Interaction with you personally
  2. Experience of you personally
  3. The emotion elicited when interacting with you and experiencing you personally

[Read more…] about Personal Brand: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

The Power of Building Accountable Teams for Excellent Performance

By

This is a guest post by Jeff Perry, MBA

When executives are asked what leadership skills they wish their leaders were better at, one of the most common responses is the ability to hold their people accountable. This indicates a red flag, as it is an indicator that the organization as a whole is not very accountable. Rather than a focus on holding others accountable, we should instead be making the shift toward developing people who are accountable.

accountable teams

Wait, What Do You Mean?

Let me explain myself by asking a few simple questions for you to ponder:

  • How would you describe someone who is accountable?
  • How do we hold someone else accountable?
  • How do we hold ourselves accountable?

[Read more…] about The Power of Building Accountable Teams for Excellent Performance

Great Managers Ask Powerful Questions

By

This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

Good QuestionsJoin me as we discuss a group of managers whose task was to share information with staff on how a company decision was made. Their conversation had gone around in circles.

Then one brave soul spoke up. “Do you think it’s likely that we can develop any sort of communication plan by continuing to pool our ignorance about how this decision was made?”

Chris Clarke-Epstein shares that story in her book “78 Important Questions Every Leaders Should Ask and Answer.”

What a great question! I particularly like “continuing to pool our ignorance. . .”

If only all questions were so wonderfully worded.

This blog focuses on asking good questions, a subject near and dear to my heart. And a challenge to just about every one of us. The blog also provides links to good questions already written for you to ask.

Your Prerequisite for This Blog

Before you dig in on how to ask questions, develop your curiosity. Curiosity is the basis for all questions. Young children torture us with their questions of “Why, Mommy?” “Why does it hurt when I fall off my bike, Daddy?” “Why is she looking at me like that?”

[Read more…] about Great Managers Ask Powerful Questions

3 Radical Responsibility Coaching Tips for Engineering Success

By

This is a guest post by Zachary White

What is the most frustrating problem you are dealing with right now?

The one that keeps you up at night.

Got it?

Good.

Now be honest. How did this happen? What caused the situation? How did this problem end up in your lap? Why are you the one who has to solve this?

95% of engineering leaders answer these questions the same way.

  • “My boss is demanding an unrealistic timeline.”
  • “The culture at my company is toxic. It’s a leadership problem.”
  • “I have unreasonable demands from my supplier.”
  • “Insert your own example…”

As a Victim

Before you scoff and scroll to another post, let’s take a quick timeout.

The fact that you are reading this blog says something about you. Growth and development matter to you. Learning how to coach your engineering team and hold them accountable is important to you.

[Read more…] about 3 Radical Responsibility Coaching Tips for Engineering Success

Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset

By

This is a guest post by Tiffani Teachey

Entrepreneurial MindsetToo often, engineers get caught up in the details of their work and lose sight of the bigger picture. While it’s important to focus on the task at hand, it’s also crucial to have an entrepreneurial mindset and be proactive in your thinking. By doing so, you can come up with new ideas and solutions that can benefit both yourself and your company. Here are just a few of the benefits of engineers thinking like an entrepreneur.

  1. Increased creativity
  2. Improved problem-solving skills
  3. More efficient time management
  4. Enhanced communication abilities
  5. Greater business knowledge and acumen

[Read more…] about Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset

Want to Start Your Own Business? Pay Attention to These 3 Tips!

By

This is a guest blog by Gina Covarrubias

Own Business

Tip 1: Do Not Jump on the Bandwagon 

The number of American small business applications has been increasing each year since 2016, according to PR Newswire.  

Heck, you might know a buddy who has started a lucrative side gig as a YouTuber or a TikTok creator. And the temptations might swirl around in your mind: “I should do that … look how much fun they’re having … I want my own business too!“ 

[Read more…] about Want to Start Your Own Business? Pay Attention to These 3 Tips!

Four Skills Engineers Can Learn From Entrepreneurs

By

This is a guest post by Patrick Sweet, P.Eng., MBA, PMP, CSEP

Whether you plan to launch a business or work within an existing organization, approaching the world from an entrepreneur’s perspective can be incredibly valuable for engineers. At their core, both engineers and entrepreneurs are problem-solvers. By approaching the world from the mindset of an entrepreneur, engineers of all disciplines can become stronger in their fields.

Here Are Four Skills That Engineers Would Do Well to Adopt:

1. Entrepreneurs See Opportunity

Entrepreneurs see the world in terms of opportunities. They are able to identify problems and pain points that, if solved, would create incredible value for people. Where many people see problems and are content simply to complain about them, entrepreneurs are able to see a world where that problem is actually solved and take strides to make that world a reality.

[Read more…] about Four Skills Engineers Can Learn From Entrepreneurs