Engineering Management Institute

communication skills

TECC 225: How Project Management Skills Contribute to Your Overall Success as an Engineering Leader

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How Project Management Skills Contribute to Your Overall Success as an Engineering LeaderIn this episode, I talk to Christian Knutson, CEng, P.E., PgMP, F. SAME, who has co-hosted this podcast in the past and now serves as the Europe Program Manager for Stanley Consultants. He is responsible for managing and coordinating Stanley Consultants’ activities in the U.K. and Europe as well as providing program/project management delivery and master planning solutions for clients in the U.K. and Europe. In this episode, which is part of a series we are publishing focused around the four key drivers of engineering managers, we talk about the third key driver: the ability to manage projects. Chris talks about the fundamentals of project management and how project management skills can help you to become a great engineering manager.

Engineering Quotes:

Project Management Skills

Project Management Skills

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Project Management Skills:

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TCEP 115: A Rational Approach to Dealing with Difficult People on Your Engineering Projects

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Difficult People

In episode 115 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I visit with Stephanie Buckingham, APTD, PHR, an Associate Professional in Talent Development and part of Freese and Nichols’ Organizational Development team about dealing with difficult people on your engineering projects.

Engineering Quotes:

Difficult People

Difficult People

Here are some of the questions I ask Stephanie about dealing with difficult people:

  • What made you decide to focus on this topic?
  • Tell us more about the root of difficult people?
  • How do you get back on track after you had an encounter with a person who is being difficult?
  • How do you disagree with someone while still being respectful to them?
  • Do you have any stories you can tell us that have influenced your perspective on dealing with difficult people?

Here are some key points discussed in this episode about dealing with difficult people:

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Tips to Advance Your Career as a Mechanical Engineer

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This is a guest blog by Carol Evenson

Engineering Career Tips

Being a successful mechanical engineer goes beyond just being a pro at science and math. Whether an individual has several years of experience as a mechanical engineer or has graduated recently, there are strategies and engineering career tips to take their profession to the next level. These tips can help any professional in the field of mechanical engineering advance their career. [Read more…] about Tips to Advance Your Career as a Mechanical Engineer

TCEP 096: A Specific Recipe for Building Seller-Doer Skills

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Seller-Doer Skills

In episode 096 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I speak with Jim Rogers, author of Win More Work, and Co-Founder of the Seller-Doer Academy. Jim and I will be giving you a strategy for building your seller-doer skills which consists of three specific learning approaches.

Engineering Quotes:

Seller-Doer Skills

Seller-Doer Skills

Here are some key points discussed in this episode on building seller-doer skills:

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What Engineers Should Look for When Choosing Career Mentors

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This is a guest post by Carol Evenson
Career Mentors

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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Why Communication for Engineers Is so Important

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Why Communication for Engineers Is so Important is a
guest blog by Thomas A. Anderson, P.E:

Communication for Engineers

Do you remember the telephone game?

In school, you and your classmates tried to pick a phrase and “pass it on” by whispering it to the person next to you. Then the phrase was passed from person to person until the last person announced the phrase. How much did the phrase change during the game? As people relay message from one person to the other, the message will often be distorted.

While the game is a lot of fun. It also teaches us important lessons.

  • If you do not receive information from a reliable source, you may not get the correct information. It turns into gossip.
  • If you do not produce information properly, it will not be received as planned

Communication skills are vital to success in your personal life and your engineering career. Poorly delivered messages can turn into misunderstanding, frustration, or even a disaster.

By practicing communication, you will understand more of what people say. Your family, friends, and co-workers will have the confidence to come to you when they find themselves in need.

What are the keys to clear communication?

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TECC 177: What Every Engineer Needs to Know When a Crisis Arises

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What Every Engineer Needs to Know When a Crisis Arises

In this episode, I talk with two very successful women from The Mathews Group, Melissa Mathews and Tia Over. We talk about communication strategies that you can implement when a crisis arises whether it’s a project crisis, client crisis or career crisis.

Engineering Quotes:

Tia Over Tweet this

crises arises

Crisis Arises

Here are some of the key points discussed in this episode on what engineers should do when a crisis arises:

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TECC 159: The Importance of Confidence in Communicating as a Professional Engineer

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In this episode, I am going to talk to you about the importance of confidence in communicating as a professional engineer. I will specifically be concentrating on three situations from three recent coaching interactions that I had with engineers.

Engineering Quotes:

Confidence in Communicating

Here are the key points discussed on the importance of confidence in communicating as a professional engineer:

[Read more…] about TECC 159: The Importance of Confidence in Communicating as a Professional Engineer

Good Communication Skills- An Engineer’s Career Escalator

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This is a guest post by Shoots Veis, P.E.

Communication SkillsThe boss and I were talking the other day about hiring a young engineer. The person we were considering checked a lot of the boxes we were looking for and they had a decent interview. There was no doubt they would meet all the requirements we had in the engineering skills job description. During the first 90% of the conversation, I would bet they were going to get the job. Then came this question:

“Do you think if they had to present in front of a city council I could trust them to go to the meeting without me?”

Unfortunately, the answer to that question was “No.”

That ended any chance the engineer had of getting that job.

I don’t know where they landed and I suspect they were able to get a job. However, it was evident throughout their interview that public speaking was never going to be their strong point. At least, not if they didn’t make an effort to improve their public speaking.

Most engineers need to be trusted to be able to stand up in front of an audience and communicate with that audience. Those engineers that do it well will catch the attention of clients, the public, and the boss because communication skills are highly valued in an engineer.

Communication Skills

PSMJ Resources polled a number of public works departments about the engineers that work for them. They asked them to list the most important skills needed to do a good job. Here is the list they came up with:

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TECC 29: The Engineering Career Coach Podcast – IECD 2014 Fall Meetup – What Our Panelists Taught us on Communication and Networking

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TECC 29: The Engineering Career Coach Podcast – IECD 2014 Fall Meetup – What Our Panelists Taught us on Communication and Networking

In this bonus session of The Engineering Career Coach Podcast, I am going to summarize the panel sessions on communication and networking from our recent Institute for Engineering Career Development meetup in San Diego.

The Take Action Today segment of the show will give you a strategy to drastically improve your relationships – immediately.

“What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Panel #1 – Keys to Effective Communication [Read more…] about TECC 29: The Engineering Career Coach Podcast – IECD 2014 Fall Meetup – What Our Panelists Taught us on Communication and Networking