Engineering Management Institute

accountable

Being in Charge Is Complex and Comes With High Expectations

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This is a guest blog by Manny De La Cruz

being in charge

To succeed, you must…

  • Go to school…
  • Get good grades…
  • Love math and science…
  • Get into STEM…
  • Take AP classes…
  • Love STEM…
  • Pick a college…
  • Go to college…
  • Love STEM more…
  • Get a STEM degree, preferably engineering (my opinion)…
  • Get an internship…
  • Get a job…
  • Be a leader/manager…
Does this list sound familiar? For many STEM professionals, and, more specifically, engineers, this list may sound all too familiar. For some, it happens early in life when parents, teachers, or some influential adult begins to tell you what the formula to success is and how engineering fits into that equation. And for other, non-traditional students, like myself, all it takes is one visit to a college campus and there is no shortage of STEM advocates singing the praises of obtaining an engineering degree.

So, you pick engineering, and for the most part, love the journey; let’s face it — statistics for engineers or the third round of calculus can get old at times. As you begin to align yourself with where you want to work, you start to hear the term leadership. To be a strong candidate for an internship spot requires you to have the trifecta: high GPA, skills experience, and leadership potential. For some, “being a leader” has been engrained as the solution to many problems, especially if you are a minority candidate.

Manny, where are you going with this? Great question. So, you want to be a leader/manager? Are you sure you know what you are asking for? It is my opinion that most of us do not really appreciate what we are asking for when we say we want to be a leader/manager. Being in charge is complex and comes with high expectations and many burdens.

What Does Being in Charge Mean?

1. Delivering Results

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4 Ways to Mentor an Overconfident Employee

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4 Ways to Mentor an Overconfident Employee is a guest post by Adela BelinOverconfident Employee

Confident employees have everything going for them. They are valuable assets for companies owing to their self-motivated and positive nature. They exhibit leadership qualities, aren’t afraid to take risks and tend to be extremely reliable. But what happens when that ‘confidence’ turns into arrogance? How do you deal with a cocky team member who gets onto everyone’s nerves because they are so full of themselves? Turning a blind eye over someone’s toxic attitude will not bring about any change. As the team leader, it is your responsibility to mentor that overconfident employee before their behavior affects your team’s productivity.  

Here are 4 ways to mentor an overconfident employee and approach this sensitive situation:

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TECC 172: The Benefits of Building Accountability into your Engineering Career

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In this episode, I talk with Josh Haynam, co-founder of Interact, which is a quiz marketing tool used by more than 40,000 companies around the world. We talk about the benefits of building accountability into your engineering career. Josh gives an excellent analogy that he uses in terms of how a coach can help you to advance in your career and life.

Engineering Quotes:

building accoutability

building accountability

Here are some of the key points discussed on building accountability into your Engineering Career:

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