Engineering Management Institute

UPCOMING TRAINING

communication

How to Navigate the Challenges of Managing Remote Work

By

This is a guest blog by Trilby Lawless, BigTime Software

Remote Work

Over the last 10 years, remote work has grown in popularity by 91%. Even though the current pandemic has given businesses no other option but to move to remote work, many have seen it as a silver lining. The benefits for employees are clear: flexible work structures, improvement to work-life balance, job satisfaction, and productivity.   

But as leaders and managers, you may think: It’s great for individuals, but how do I make it great for the business? 

After all, you need to keep goals and projects moving forward, but managing teams and your firm’s operations simply looks different outside of the office. A new set of challenges can arise.  

The good news is that with the right tools in place, it is now easier than ever to make this happen and to make it happen efficiently. In this post, we’ll explore the three most common challenges of managing a remote or hybrid office for engineering firms, and the strategies you need to navigate them successfully.  

The goal is to have a new management outlook for remote work, so your firm can find its groove outside of the office and empower your team to be productive and grow.  

Let’s get into it.  

Challenge 1: Lacking an Operational Process That Fosters Communication and Insight Into Progress and Staff Utilization

[Read more…] about How to Navigate the Challenges of Managing Remote Work

TCEP 146: What Does Hostage Negotiation Have to Do With Consulting Engineers?

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Hostage NegotiationIn this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Dan Oblinger about hostage negotiation. Dan explains how hostage negotiation fits into consulting engineering and also provides five specific ways that engineering firms should look at to evaluate their negotiation and communication abilities.

Engineering Quotes:

Hostage Negotiation

Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Dan:

  • With the current situation in the United States, is it a challenge for you to go to work every day?
  • Can you talk to us about how you got into consulting with engineers and how you went to some AE companies and pitched the idea of negotiation to them?
  • What should civil engineering consultants look for to evaluate their negotiation and communication abilities?
  • Do you have a framework in your day-to-day hostage negotiations?
  • Are there specific strategies that you use in your negotiations?
  • Is there a challenging situation that you dealt with that you are open to sharing with our listeners?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Negotiation Culture in Your Civil Engineering Practice:

[Read more…] about TCEP 146: What Does Hostage Negotiation Have to Do With Consulting Engineers?

TCEP 141: Tips for Civil Engineers on Crisis Management and Becoming Confident Leaders

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Crisis Management

In this episode, I talk with Andy Platz, PE, who is the CEO and President at Mead & Hunt. Andy talks about his career journey of how he went from being a fresh graduate to a CEO of a company. He provides some great crisis management tips to civil engineers and also gives very actionable advice to civil engineers aspiring to become leaders in the field. Andy also talks about how he and other leaders at Mead & Hunt are leading their firm through this COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Engineering Quotes:

Crisis Management

Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Andy:

  • Can you please tell us about your career progression as a civil engineer?
  • As a leader of a civil engineering company, how do you manage crisis management at your firm?
  • How has your staff responded to this time?
  • How does one be prepared for something like this pandemic?
  • Was being the CEO a career goal that you had early on in your career?
  • Are there any skills and characteristics that you find in a lot of civil engineering leaders that allow them to be in leadership roles?
  • What is your philosophy on social media and how an engineer and engineering firm should utilize it?
  • How do you think being an ESOP (or having employee owners) impacts the culture of a company?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Crisis Management and Becoming Confident Leaders:

[Read more…] about TCEP 141: Tips for Civil Engineers on Crisis Management and Becoming Confident Leaders

TCEP 137: The Role of Project Management in Consulting Engineering

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Consulting EngineeringIn this episode, I talk to Ann Tomalavage, PE, PMP, LEED AP, a licensed professional engineer who has spent the last 20+ years training engineering professionals on how to become great project managers. Ann talks about some of the key points to becoming a successful project manager, and she also discusses the role of project management in consulting engineering.

Engineering Quotes:

Consulting Engineering

Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Ann Tomalavage:

  • How did you get into project management training and how did you become so interested and passionate about the topic of project management?
  • What differences could an engineer expect when transitioning from a project engineer to a project manager role?
  • What made you decide to start a project management training course?
  • You recently talked at an ACEC event on project management; could you tell us about it and the feedback that you received from the audience?
  • What would you say is one of the biggest challenges for engineers in terms of making the transition to project management?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About The Role of Project Management in Consulting Engineering:

[Read more…] about TCEP 137: The Role of Project Management in Consulting Engineering

TSEC 16: BIM and Collaboration Between Structural Engineers and Drafters

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Structural Engineers and DraftersIn this episode of The Structural Engineering Channel podcast, we talk to Marcello Sgambelluri, PE,SE., the Director of Advanced Technology at John A. Martin & Associates. He talks about BIM(Building Information Modeling) and how it is evolving, and also shares his thoughts on the roles that structural engineers and drafters will play during this exciting technological time in structural engineering.

Engineering Quotes:

Structural Engineers and Drafters

Structural Engineers and Drafters

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

  • Why is BIM so ever-evolving in the structural engineering industry?
  • Do you think engineers of the future will need to keep up with all the technologies, coding, and scripting?
  • How can structural engineers learn more about BIM? 
  • What is the role of structural engineers and drafters in the future?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed in This Episode:

[Read more…] about TSEC 16: BIM and Collaboration Between Structural Engineers and Drafters

5 Crucial Client Communication Skills for Engineering Project Managers

By

This is a guest blog by Holly Welles

Client Communication SkillsWhether you’re trying to connect with customers, a new employer or your partner, or even trying to network with peers, communication is vital for career growth. For project managers and planners, it’s especially crucial because poorly delivered messages can have a considerable impact on the results of projects and tasks.

Communication is also essential for dealing with clients. Without the appropriate message, you might misinterpret the scope of a project, what demands a client has or project specifications.

As an engineering professional, here are five crucial client communication skills you will need to interact with clients effectively:

[Read more…] about 5 Crucial Client Communication Skills for Engineering Project Managers

Chief Engineer = Professional Engineer + Manager

By

Chief Engineer = Professional Engineer + Manager is a guest blog
by Justin OsborneChief Engineer

Nowadays, the engineering market has become more and more demanding and competitive. It’s not enough to get your degree; you need to constantly learn and develop new skills to stand out from the other engineers and work on exciting projects. Therefore, keep on reading to discover what skills are necessary to become a chief engineer and how to acquire them. [Read more…] about Chief Engineer = Professional Engineer + Manager

How Good Writing Skills Can Benefit Your Engineering Career

By

This is a guest blog by Peter Hill 

Good Writing SkillsThe second half of the 20th century saw a significant rise of demand for qualified engineers, mostly because after the World War II there was a lot to be rebuilt but also science and technology started to develop rapidly. Large companies, often owned by people that weren’t engineers, but rich investors, needed specialists that could communicate in a way that was easy to understand. The late 60’s introduced technical writing which became one of the essential soft skills for every aspiring engineer. The reasons why writing is important nowadays vary and hold value to both engineers and their companies. In this article, we will discuss some of the major benefits that good writing skills hold for engineers.

The Better Prospect of Landing a Job

[Read more…] about How Good Writing Skills Can Benefit Your Engineering Career

TCEP 104: Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and the Future of Transportation

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Autonomous VehiclesIn episode 104 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I am taking you with me to the offices of AECOM to talk with Anthony Attanasio, B.A, Vice President and Senior Program Manager at AECOM. We’ll discuss his career which has spanned both the public and private sectors, and we also talk about connected and autonomous vehicles, and what to expect in the short and long terms.

Engineering Quotes:

Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous Vehicles

Here are some of the questions I ask Anthony Attanasio:

[Read more…] about TCEP 104: Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and the Future of Transportation

How to Increase the Efficiency of Your Construction Project

By

How to Increase the Efficiency of Your Construction Project is a guest post by Holly Welles

Construction ProjectConstruction project efficiency has become a problem over the last 50 years. In spite of advances in construction technology, project efficiency has dropped by nearly half, which leaves jobs undone for years after their projected completion date. Construction holds the title of the industry that has the lowest productivity gains of any comparable sector, leaving many people to wonder what could have slowed down the workflow so much. Despite all of this, there are some things that project managers can do to increase the efficiency of their construction projects.

Be Proactive, Not Reactive

[Read more…] about How to Increase the Efficiency of Your Construction Project