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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
This is a guest blog post by Daniel Hayes, PE, PMP
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?
“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…]
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?
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…]
