The Power of a Personal Brand for Engineering Managers
Whether 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 […]
The Power of Building Accountable Teams for Excellent Performance
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 […]
The 8 Best Leadership Books You Need to Read
In any industry, leadership is a real skill. That goes double for anyone in the engineering field. If you have recently moved to a management position, or have your eye on one in the future, you should check out these leadership books right now.
Leaders, Help Staff Understand You
Here’s a data point that will NOT make your day if you are a leader in your firm. “Seventy-four percent of employees feel they are missing out on company information and news.” It happens all the time. Nadine, owner of a midsize professional services firm, describes her situation: “Every January, I give a state of […]
How to Succeed with Your Strategic Plans and Initiatives
There’s no question that strategic planning is essential for individual, team, and organizational success. Yet despite this, the vast majority of strategic plans and major strategic initiatives fail or fail to be fully or successfully implemented. Why is this the case and, more importantly, what can we do to ensure that we, our teams, […]
Creating a Culture of Respect
“You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them.” ~ Malcolm Forbes If Integrity is the “foundation,” then Respect is the “walls” of a well-led organization. So, what does “Respect” mean for a leader and how does a leader create a […]
Numbers May Drive the Business, but People Drive the Numbers®
For several years, I had the good fortune to be in CEO mastermind groups. These confidential mastermind groups were comprised of CEOs who shared their frustrations and challenges in running their businesses. A favorite mantra of these CEOs was, “This would be a great business if I didn’t have to deal with people.” That mantra […]
As a Leader, You Must Extend Trust to Earn Trust
Can you ever write and talk enough about trust? Probably not. Its power is huge at work, at home, in communities, and more. Without trust, things just break down. Yet trust doesn’t just happen or magically appear. It is built and shaped over time in relationships by making and keeping commitments to each other. But […]
What the Redefinition of Winning Means for Your Success
To be successful as leaders and leadership teams, we need to see both the “big picture” and what’s happening “on the ground” within our firms and the marketplace. Being a leader at any level is about constantly looking for problems to solve and opportunities to realize — but which ones are the right ones, which ones have […]
Accepting Responsibility Is the Precursor to Closing the Deal
Whether you close business deals daily or consider a completed deal to be a new job offer that will catapult your career forward, you must first accept full responsibility for what will happen after signing the agreement. Taking responsibility is required for progressing in your work, business, life, or relationships. It is just the right […]
