Effective Strategies in a World of Remote Work
I’ve always been a pretty big fan of flexible work options and remote work. It’s been nice to have the ability to do it when I’ve been sick, traveling, or taking care of other business. While not possible for all job roles, remote work can have a lot of benefits. With the coronavirus and […]
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, […]
3 Essential Skills for Engineers to Become Proficient at Selling
Many engineers are incredibly smart, skilled people who can figure out how things work and fix them when they break down. A well-spoken engineer can sell their products or services like nobody’s business. It doesn’t matter if they are pitching an idea or defending the work they’ve done on behalf of their company in […]
3 Tips for Selling Yourself So You Can Sell Anything Well
Some people are great at speaking about themselves. They’re the ones that have a story to tell about every situation. They’re comfortable going from one topic to another effortlessly, and they seem to know somebody wherever they go. They’re smooth talkers, and somehow, they seem to have an endless amount of charisma and an extensive network of […]
5 Pieces of Advice Every Engineering Professional Should Know
Advice from people who’ve walked in your shoes is invaluable. This year, we set out with a goal to help build a community for industry leaders on how to successfully scale their business. We were fortunate to partner with EMI, and specifically its The Civil Engineering Podcast, to bring listeners a new series — […]
The Truth About Selling
“I hate sales!” “I could never sell anything!” I wish I had a dime—maybe a dollar—for every time I uttered phrases like that. My first business coach helped me break that thought pattern. Here is how the thinking goes: You are an engineer who excels at (fill in the blank). You happen to meet Chris, […]
5 Steps to Building and Maintaining Client Relationships
Customers want to work with engineers who provide excellent service by respecting their time and needs. However, manufacturing challenges, constant innovations, and changes to the industry can be a barrier to excellent customer service. Without great customer service and relationship building, new innovations and investments may never happen. Keeping a steady pipeline of existing clients […]
3 Ways Engineering Leaders Can Manage Emotions in the Workplace
Many factors can contribute to how we can handle stress in the workplace. These include our personality and position in the organization, heavy workload, exclusion, and bullying among co-workers. Therefore, one of the most impactful elements of an engineering leader’s success is their ability to manage the engineering team’s moods and emotions. Successful management of […]
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 […]