What Bricklayers can Teach us About our Engineering Careers
I was recently reminded of a parable I had heard many years ago. In the story, there are three bricklayers working on a wall for a church. Someone asks the first bricklayer what he’s doing. He says, “I’m building a wall.” The second bricklayer is asked the same question and replies, “I’m building a church.” […]
Using Negative Feedback For Success
It may be the nature of most people to try and avoid receiving negative feedback. When some people do receive such feedback, they often ignore it, rationalize it or attack the source of it. Very seldom do they see the benefit of improving from it. Negative feedback is an opportunity to reflect and learn. When […]
One Small Trick for Making Big Decisions
Have you ever been in situations where you felt like making big decisions was impossible? Or have you ever gone all-in on a big decision just to find out you made a huge mistake? I’ve done both, and I’m sure I’m in good company. Paralysis by analysis is a terrible state to be in – […]
5 Tips To Move Beyond Being A Perfectionist In Your Engineering Career
Hi, I’m Chris and I’m a recovering perfectionist. It all started when, well, when I was a young child. Blame it on genetics, but I’m afflicted with the ‘perfectionist-gene’; the necessity for every action, every event, and every aspect to be just…perfect. It’s come in handy in some cases, like developing a logistics plan with […]
The Secret to Becoming an Innovative Design Engineer
I was recently listening to an interview with Ben Brenton, the Chief Innovation Officer of Snap-on Tools on the Everyday Innovator Podcast. During the interview, he said something quite profound about the way he spent his time. He said that he spends approximately four days a week on things related to customer interaction. That means […]
3 Actions That Help You Lead Your Engineering Team Despite Fear
Here’s a topic not often discussed in the offices of the majority of leaders: FEAR. We’ll talk about risk, or problem’s, or setbacks. But never fear. Why is that? Probably because the word “fear” comes with a lot of baggage. Fear isn’t something that’s talked about openly, ever. It’s a sign of weakness or lack […]
What a One-year Old can Teach Engineers about being Productive
When she was about one year old, my daughter, Charlotte, started mimicking what my wife and I did in a big way. If we did it, she wanted to do it. If I stirred my coffee, she wanted to stir her milk. If my wife went to play the piano, Charlotte wanted to play the […]
Why Rest and Relaxation Are Vital for a Successful Engineering Career
You learn that you’ve been selected to take on a leadership position within your firm. While the extra salary and corner office are what you’ve sought, you feel a little tight in the chest when you think about the responsibilities you’ll be taking on. Until now you’ve been responsible for yourself, your work and being […]
How to Master the Language for Clearer Engineering Contracts – Ep 054
In episode 054 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, Chris Knutson interviews Ken Adams, an expert in the world of contract drafting on how to master the language to create clearer engineering contracts. Here are some of the questions Chris asked Ken: What do you consider is the essence of a contract? How do you suggest that […]
Systems Engineering and Thinking for Engineers: Three Ways to See the Bigger Picture
This may not come as a big surprise, but it takes a very different approach to engineering when you’re designing a space shuttle than when you’re designing a guitar amplifier (No offense, Marshall fans). The challenges and issues are simply different in nature when you tackle a mega-project. There’s more to integrate, there are more […]