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Effective Strategies in a World of Remote Work

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This is a guest post by Jeff Perry, MBA

Remote WorkI’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 its many effects on the working world, we will need to adapt to increased and accelerated remote work. Some people love it, others don’t.

No matter your personal feelings, embracing the advantages of remote work and learning how to effectively communicate in remote settings will become increasingly important for career success.  

Benefits of Going Remote 

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TCEP 181: Building Your Networking Skills as a Civil Engineer

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Networking Skills as a Civil Engineer

In the episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk about a topic that is of the utmost importance to civil engineering professionals which is relationship building. I will look at it from the perspective of someone that is not comfortable networking, whether they are shy, an “introvert”, or they’re just uncomfortable in social settings, and provide three actions that they can take to help improve your networking skills as a civil engineer.

Networking Skills as a Civil Engineer

Here Are Three Actions You Can Take to Improve Your Networking Skills as a Civil Engineer:

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The Value of Positive Public Perception — In COVID and BEYOND!

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This is an article by Sam Lytle, P.E. speaker for our upcoming CEC session: The Value of Positive Perception for Your Civil Project which you can find here

It’s hard to fathom now, but only months ago, groups of unmasked people gathering together to learn about a public works project was not only a common and important part of our democratic process, but a valuable opportunity to gain valuable public support. 

Virtual public meetings have now become a viable alternative to pre-COVID gatherings. With this shift — and similar to many other industries in 2020 — has come a fundamental questioning of the very purpose of these public meetings. Has technology made meeting together unnecessary? Will these changes rewrite decades of written and unwritten rules about the necessity of public meetings to communicate project designs?

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TSEC 06: The Emotional Side of Structural Engineering

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In episode 06 of The Structural Engineering Channel podcast, we talk to Zohaib Alvi, P.E. who is a civil, structural, and forensic engineer and principal of za/engineering. We talk about sustainability in structural engineering and more specifically about the emotional side of structural engineering and how important it is to embrace and understand it as an engineer.

Engineering Quotes:

Emotional Side of Structural Engineering

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Zohaib in This Episode:

  • Where did your interest in sustainability come from?
  • In terms of policies, guidelines and regulations – has it been reflected in codes and guidelines in the recent history?
  • Can you give us an example of how resiliency needs to start with us?
  • How does smart technology play into all these trending issues?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About the Emotional Side of Structural Engineering

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TCEP 112: Managing Mega Civil Engineering Projects and Staying Calm in the Process

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Mega Civil Engineering Projects

In episode 112 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I’m taking you with me to the offices of Louis Berger where I will be speaking with the Department Manager, Muzamil Husain, PE. We talk about the importance of managing mega civil engineering projects and how to stay calm during stressful situations.

Engineering Quotes:

Mega Civil Engineering Projects

Mega Civil Engineering Projects

Here are some of the questions I ask Muzamil Husain:

  • In terms of project management, what would you say are some things that you have done that made you successful?
  • How do you determine what tasks to work on each day?
  • Can you describe the Magnetic Levitation project?
  • As a project manager you need to get good at understanding your resources and deploying them in the right areas. How does one get good at that?
  • What do you do to improve the culture on your team?

Here are some key points discussed in this episode about managing mega civil engineering projects:

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TCEP 102: Why Civil Engineers Should Get Involved in Government Policy

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Policy

In episode 102 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I speak with Jennifer Sloan Ziegler, a Project Engineer focusing on water resources, specifically watershed management and coastal restoration. We discuss government policy and its importance in civil engineering, and why all civil engineers should in some way get involved in policy.

Engineering Quotes:

Policy

Policy

Here are some of the questions I ask Jennifer

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TCEP 095: Office Layout and How It Impacts Productivity and Culture

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Office Layout

In episode 095 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I am bringing you with me to the offices of Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE) to sit down with Senior Partner Peter Deming and myself. We will be talking about the importance of your physical office layout and how it impacts productivity and culture.  This is a topic you might not consider as important until you hear Peter discuss it.

Here are some of the questions I ask Peter Deming:

  • How did you decide how to setup the people throughout your office?
  • Can you talk about the importance of the library and the locker room that you have at your offices?
  • What comes to mind when I say the word “culture”?
  • How did you get to the point where you wanted to drive change in your career?

Engineering Quotes:

Office Layout

Here are some key points discussed in this episode on the impact of office layout and culture:

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TECC 182: Using Your Military Experience to Become a Project Management Leader

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Using Your Military Experience to Become a Project Management Leader

In this episode, I talk with Eric Wright, Ph.D., PMP, CPD about the benefits of earning the project management professional certification (PMP) for military members transitioning out of the service looking to become a project management leader. Eric gives some great tips on planning, leading, organizing, control, actions impact, and also explains the importance of soft skills and creating future value not only for yourself, but for clients as well.

Engineering Quotes:

Project Management Leader

Project Management Leader

Here are some of the key points discussed in today’s episode on becoming a project management leader:

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Strategies for Delivering a Presentation to a Hostile Audience

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Strategies for Delivering a Presentation to a Hostile Audience is a guest post by Shoots Veis, P.E.
hostile audience

As engineers we often get the opportunity to work on great projects. We often transform the landscape through construction and make life safer and more efficient for the people using our infrastructure. However, not everyone is going to see it that way. Many of us have had to deliver a presentation to a hostile audience that does not think a certain project is the best idea. They come to the meeting with a preconceived notion of the project, not happy at the thought of what is proposed to be built.

If you are already a less than confident public speaker, speaking to this type of audience can be one of the hardest things to accomplish. They tend not to share your viewpoint, may have a dislike for technical answers, and may not value engineering expertise. Speaking to this type of crowd is never going to be easy, but there are a few things you can do to get ready.

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TCEP 088: Growing a Civil Engineering Company from the Ground up with Stephen Morse

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Civil Engineering Company

In episode 88 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Stephen Morse, PE, LEED AP from Grant Engineering about growing a civil engineering company from the ground up. Stephen talks about the process he went through in growing his company from starting out in his apartment to now having a growing office in New York City.

Engineering Quotes:

Civil Engineering Company

Civil Engineering Company

Here are some of the questions I ask Stephen:

  • What made you decide to start your own civil engineering company?
  • Tell us about your experience of hiring your first employee.
  • What types of projects are you currently working on, and what is your involvement in those projects?
  • How many employees does Grant Engineering have?
  • Can you explain what the organization: “Engineers Without Borders” is?
  • What would you say to a civil engineer that might consider starting their own civil engineering company?

Here are some key points discussed on growing a civil engineering company:

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