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communication

Leaders, Help Staff Understand You

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

StaffHere’s a data point that will NOT make your day if you are a leader in your firm.

“Seventy-four percent of employees feel they are missing out on company information and news.” It happens all the time.

Nadine, owner of a midsize professional services firm, describes her situation: “Every January, I give a state of the company address to the troops. The usual stuff: how we did last year, where we’re going this year, how excited/optimistic/cautious I am about the future, and so on. And for the next 12 months, every year, managers and staff ask me where we’re going, how we’re doing, etc.

“What am I doing wrong? I keep telling them what they want to know, but nobody seems to get it.”

No One Truly Gets It

Nadine’s story shows why communicating effectively is so tough. Consider the following.

  • Nobody — and I mean nobody — has the same perspective as the CEO. The CEO sees how myriad pieces come together.
  • Managers have been told what’s going on, but often they don’t effectively pass the information along to staffers. They are focused on taking care of their own operations.
  • The general staff know what they do — make calls, take care of projects, do good work. But they lose sight of the company’s strategic goals and plans.

Help Staff Understand You

What to Do So They Get It

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3 Essential Skills for Engineers to Become Proficient at Selling

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This is a guest post by Tiffani Teachey

Become Proficient at SellingMany engineers are incredibly smart, skilled people who can figure out how things work and fix them when they break down. A well-spoken engineer can sell their products or services like nobody’s business. It doesn’t matter if they are pitching an idea or defending the work they’ve done on behalf of their company in front of clients and investors. Unfortunately, not all engineers know how to sell themselves or their ideas well enough for them to succeed in business today. I want to help change that with these three essential sales skills engineers should have if they want their product/idea/service bought by consumers today and to become proficient at selling. 

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Creating a Culture of Respect

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This is a guest blog by Mickey Addison, MSCE, PMP

culture of respect

“You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them.” ~ Malcolm Forbes

If Integrity is the “foundation,” then Respect is the “walls” of a well-led organization. So, what does “Respect” mean for a leader and how does a leader create a culture of respect in the organization?

In my mind, the four walls of “Respect” are: (1) the inherent dignity each human person has simply by virtue of being a human being, (2) the respect each leader must earn through their actions, (3) the respect for others’ views and values leaders must require, and (4) the respect for the organization leaders must create. We’ll take each one in turn.

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TGEP 34: Earth Retention Systems in Geotechnical Engineering

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Earth Retention SystemsIn this episode, we talk to Stan Worst, P.E., the Operations Manager at Schnabel Geostructural Design & Construction about the ever-changing profession of geotechnical engineering and more specifically, earth retention systems, and how they have changed over the past twenty years.

Engineering Quotes:

Earth Retention Systems

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Stan:

  • Please could you explain what earth retention systems are?
  • How have typical earth retention projects grown or changed over the past twenty years?
  • Tell us about a challenging earth retention project you have worked on in the past and how it has benefited your engineering career?
  • Getting an engineering degree does not always prepare engineering students to be managers. How do you feel about that statement, and how can engineering students better prepare themselves for managerial roles?
  • What skills are lacking in newly graduating engineers, and what skills do they have which most working professionals do not have?
  • What advice do you have for engineers to find and develop the next generation of engineering talent?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Earth Retention Systems in Geotechnical Engineering:

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The (Not-So) Secret to Successful Client Management

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This is a guest post by Lindsay A. O’Leary, P.E., CAE, LEED AP, M.ASCE

Stellar Client ServiceA consultant’s priority is to provide a service in exchange for payment. It may be advice or developing and executing a plan. In civil engineering, our industry’s charge is to build a better quality of life for all of civilization, doing so both ethically and sustainably. Each completed project brings us closer to that goal. Each time a client hires us, we have an opportunity to make a difference. Clean drinking water. A reliable route to emergency medical care. Structures that withstand flooding or safely sway during an earthquake. Our jobs are rewarding. And happy clients are critical to our success. 

So, what’s the not-so-secret key to providing stellar client service? COMMUNICATION! But it’s not always easy and, frankly, it can be downright intimidating at times. 

Here Are Four Communication Checkpoints for Stellar Client Service to Start Implementing Today:

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Increasing the Efficiency of Your Civil Engineering Firm’s Field Work

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Whether it be construction administration for a new design project or gathering information about existing conditions on a renovation project, some amount of field work is required on most civil engineering projects. From notes to photos, a large part of field work is data collection and interpretation that can be streamlined depending on what is to be accomplished. Today, I would like to share three tips on my field workflows — and how they could help you increase your efficiency in the field:

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TECC 249: Life Cycle Engineering and How It Fits Into Integrated Product Support

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Life Cycle EngineeringIn this episode, we talk to Lucas Marino, D.Eng., PMP, CMRP, a systems engineer and integrated logistics support manager – entrepreneur, and owner of EAST Partnership and MCS, LLC, about life cycle engineering and how it fits into integrated product support.

Engineering Quotes:

Life Cycle Engineering'

life cycle e'ngineering'

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Life Cycle Engineering and Integrated Product Support

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TECC 243: Career Planning and Leadership Progression for Engineering Professionals

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Career PlanningIn this episode, I talk to Mark A. Herschberg, M.Eng, a seasoned executive and cybersecurity expert and author of the book called: “The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You” about the importance of career planning, networking, communication, leadership, and management as an engineer.

Engineering Quotes:

career planning

career planning

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Career Planning and Leadership Progression for Engineering Professionals:

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Stop Talking and Listen!

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This is a guest blog by Fernando A. Ceballos, P.E.

listen

Communication: The imparting or exchanging of information or news.

Depending on your personality, you are either the type to listen or talk. Usually, people struggle to be good at both. I was the type to talk, to think about what to say next, and sometimes forget to listen to the person I was talking to. I realized that this was due to my fear of having a “boring” conversation or awkward pauses while I reflected on what was being said. It was also ego taking over, since I wanted to be “ready” with a rebuttal when I was debating with someone.

As I write this blog post, I know I am not the best listener I can be, but I’ve made improvements from who I used to be. These changes have been thanks to books, the wisdom of mentors and coaches, and most importantly, practice. You must practice!

listen

It may be a weird concept at first, but you must be able to be intentional at listening. Instead of giving you a long list of tips or tricks to become a better listener, I want to give you two that you can implement today.

Call Yourself Out

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TECC 233: Developing Soft Skills for a Successful Career in Engineering

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Developing Soft SkillsIn this episode, our new host, Jeff Perry, MBA talks to Dennis Doran, a leading expert in the construction industry with more than 30 years of experience, and the author of the highly praised book, Soft as Steel,  about the importance of valuing and developing soft skills to build relationships and succeed in business and life.

Engineering Quotes:

Developing Soft Skills

Developing Soft Skills

Here Are the Key Points Discussed on the Power of Passion for Your Profession:

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