Accountability

Revisiting Your 2020 Resolutions: 3-Month Check

March 9, 2020 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Manny De La Cruz

If you take the time to look at the calendar, you will notice that it is already March. At the time of this writing, several significant events had already occurred in 2020. The mere mention of the following words will conjure up the high-pitched, almost childlike delivery of the phrase “Oh, yeah!” Australia, Mr. Peanut, Kobe, Coronavirus, and Megxit — just to name a few. Was I right?

Unfortunately, another significant event is occurring in 2020. That’s right — the general abandonment of New Year’s resolutions. In December 2019, I did a latinXfactor series webinar for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, where I highlighted that 46% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions and only 8% of that population will see them realized. In that webinar, I proposed that students pursuing STEM degrees should not only commit to personal resolutions but also to resolutions that would aid their professional development. This same concept should also be applied to professionals in STEM. 

Scientific Laws of Leadership

January 9, 2020 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Jeff Perry

As engineers, we learn massive amounts of equations, corollaries, theorems, and laws. These typically apply to mathematics or scientific laws that must be understood in order to make appropriate engineering designs and calculations. However, have you ever wondered if these scientific laws that the natural world follows have applications to our personal growth, development, and leadership? In my opinion, the answer is a clear “Yes!”

In this post, I’ll take examples from some of the most commonly known scientific laws of physics — Newton’s Laws of Motion. I’ll show you how these fundamental laws apply to the movement and progress of people and teams, not just physical objects. Then, I’ll provide suggestions actions, or “motions,” you can take in your own leadership.

What Engineers Should Look for When Choosing Career Mentors

June 27, 2018 By EMI

This is a guest post by Carol Evenson

If you are one of almost 2 million engineers in the United States looking for a mentor, then you have made a smart career decision. Studies show receiving mentoring from the right career mentor can make a measurable difference. So, what should you look for in career mentors? Here’s some suggestions.

TECC 176: How to Evaluate Which Professional Certificates Can Boost Your Career

May 29, 2018 By EMI

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In this episode, I talk with Andrew Hoover of UW Continuum College about how to evaluate which professional certificates can boost your career. Andrew has a lot of experience in education, especially learning and gives some very insightful advice which can help you identify the credentials that can boost your engineering career.

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some of the key points discussed in this episode in regard to professional certificates:

TECC 168: Personal Accountability Starts with the Question Behind the Question

February 6, 2018 By EMI

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Personal Accountability Starts with the Question Behind the Question

In this episode, I talk with John G. Miller about Personal Accountability and his bestselling book entitled QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life. Miller has spent many years speaking to thousands of professionals on how they can become more accountable in their careers and lives.

Tweetables:

Here are the key points discussed on Personal Accountability:

TCEP 075: 5 Steps to Selecting 80/20 Goals to Boost your Civil Engineering Career

January 17, 2018 By EMI

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5 Steps to Selecting 80/20 Goals to Boost your Civil Engineering Career

In episode 075 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I am going to give you 5 steps for selecting 80/20 goals to boost your civil engineering career. I will also discuss how you can use Pareto Principle, which is also known as the 80/20 rule, to maximize your planning efforts.

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some key points discussed on selecting 80/20 goals:

When Accountability Is Not The Best Strategy To Achieve Your Goals

April 11, 2016 By EMI

This is a guest blog post by Daniel Hayes, PE, PMP

goals

Accountability is all the rage. Goal setting literature is full of articles, features and columns, touting the benefits of finding an accountabilibuddy, one whose job it is to keep you on track, moving forward on your goals, performing what you planned and promised. While I agree that having someone hold me accountable makes perfect sense, the idea has never worked well for me. I have always struggled being on the hook to someone else; so much that resistance to accountability often pushes me off course. I find myself pushing back on accountability because of this.

I’ve always wondered if there was something wrong with me. Why do I push back on those trying to support me? Why does my work suffer when I am held externally accountable? Does this inclination and behavior of mine have to sabotage my career and personal development?

Using Key Performance Indicators to Manage Your Engineering Career and Life

May 18, 2015 By Christian Knutson, PE, PgMP, PMP

“What gets measured gets done.” ~ Unknown Management Yoda

Ever heard this phrase? More than likely you have and if you haven’t, stick around in the industry long enough and you will. Although this phrase gets thrown around each time there are discussions about organizational performance, it happens for a good reason: it’s true.

Management and business gurus long ago figured out that measuring organizational performance was the surest way to ensure that processes were efficient, goals met and benefits realized. The terms most used to describe the tools of the measurement trade are: [Read more…] about Using Key Performance Indicators to Manage Your Engineering Career and Life

5 Reasons Accountability Is Needed for Success On The Big Engineering Projects

May 4, 2015 By Christian Knutson, PE, PgMP, PMP

Accountability is one characteristic that is present every time success is realized on a big engineering project or any project undertaking. Think about the major goals you’ve accomplished in your personal life and your engineering career. University work entails accountability – exams, papers or projects, and semester grades. With the F.E. or P.E. exams, it’s the pre-tests and then the actual exam itself. In working on engineering projects, we find project schedules, work breakdown structures, and stakeholder milestone update reports.

In our professional endeavors accountability exists to ensure that standards are being maintained and that work is being accomplished according to an agreed upon timeline. Without accountability, where does the motivation come from?

Why We Need Accountability to Be Successful

In the ideal world each of us has the self-discipline to deliver the goods in every situation. But the fact is, in the engineering world we don’t. That’s why people and project teams fall short of challenging goals. It’s why over 60% of people who start a new year’s resolution fall off the wagon within a month. It’s why I look forward to February in the gym every year…no need to wait for equipment to free up. [Read more…] about 5 Reasons Accountability Is Needed for Success On The Big Engineering Projects