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In this episode of The Engineering Quality Control podcast, we continue with the 5-Part Framework for Quality Control and focus on the fourth part of this framework, which is known as Action.
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In this episode of The Engineering Quality Control podcast, I review a 5-Part Framework for Quality Control AND discuss the third part of this framework, which is the Evaluate step.
An alternate title for this post could be “what women want — in the workplace,” which is sort of a shoutout to Sigmund Freud. He famously said there was no way to know what women wanted! These days we know better, because we have data.
As engineering professionals, no matter which country or industry we work in, we probably identify strongly with being excellent problem-solvers — and we love to leverage data! In my talk I leverage those strengths that we collectively share and turn them toward solving a ‘people problem’ instead of a technical one.
What is the Allyship Gap?
Researchers have noted an ‘allyship gap’, meaning that though the men surveyed intended to make their engineering workplaces welcoming and respectful places, when their female colleagues were surveyed, very few of them could report receiving an act of allyship at work. This disconnect suggests that there is a gap between good intentions and effective action!
In my talk I will describe this gap and propose what you can do about it as engineering managers. Ultimately, the goal is to use your influence to set your people up for success — specifically by understanding and closing the ‘allyship gap’. [Read more…] about Closing the ‘Allyship Gap’ for Engineering Managers
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In this episode, I answer critical career questions from engineers about career planning, licensing, work-life balance, credentials, finding a job, working remotely, and more, and also talk about happiness in your career.
These questions are from a Q&A session where I answered career questions for engineers. During these sessions, I take career questions from engineers on any challenging situation they are dealing with, career planning questions they might have, goal setting, or any other engineering-related questions. If you are interested in joining me on these calls, please check out the link in the show notes of this episode.
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” ~ Alice Walker
I recently received my mechanical P.E. license. However, having spent most of my career as a quality engineer, how should I make the most of it?
[Read more…] about TECC 242: Critical Career Questions Answered for Engineering Professionals
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In episode 132 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, our seventh episode in our Women in Civil Engineering series, I talk with Pavitra Rammohan, PE. ENV-SP, the Region Manager at DeepRoot. Pavitra talks about renewable energy and specifically about decoupling the water-energy nexus. We also dive into her background as well as her journey from India to the United States.
[Read more…] about TCEP 132: Renewable Energy and Decoupling the Water-Energy Nexus
If you’re an engineer, you chose your path because you love to solve problems, no matter how challenging. These characteristics make you a vital asset to society. Put your skills to good use by joining community outreach initiatives like one of the six below. Not only will it look good on your resume, but you’ll also learn vital skills, meet new people and gain experience.
[Read more…] about Community Outreach Initiatives for Engineering Professionals
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In this episode, I am taking you with me on a road trip to the offices of Burns Engineering in downtown Philadelphia where you will listen in on a conversation between myself and Laura Hughes. Laura practiced as an engineer earlier in her career but is now the Director of Business Development at Burns Engineering, Inc. In the interview Laura provides strategies engineers can take to improve their business development skills. One example — she discusses why listening and leaving space in conversations is important instead of insisting on what you think they need. You can also view this episode on YouTube.
[Read more…] about TECC 210: Business Development Skills for Engineering Professionals
A decision is a commitment to action. Until that action is completed there has been no decision. Good decision making is a process and involves a certain amount of risk-taking. The top person in any organization must be a decision-maker. Ideally, in an engineering firm, this person would be good at making engineering decisions on a daily basis.
Effective and successful engineers have something in common. They are capable of effectively managing their time. As a consulting engineer, your time is a precious commodity. Your clients are paying for your knowledge and time. Therefore, the action of maximizing your time, focus, and overall productivity, will equate to more money. Learning to master your time can do wonders for your engineering career and personal life.
In your career, managing your time will help you take on more tasks, delegate tasks as needed, and become a more productive member of the company. This will increase your value to the company and help you climb the ranks more quickly. In your personal life, better time management will help to maximize every hour of the day and make you feel in more control of your own life. This article is adapted from a previous article on my personal blog. [Read more…] about Maximizing Productivity Hacks for Engineering Professionals
Do you demand a high level of performance from yourself? One of the major reasons for orienting yourself towards results is the need to set higher standards for your work. Establishing a habit of a grading system will help you reflect on and better understand your performance, and ultimately help you make adjustments if needed. [Read more…] about How to Use a Grading System to Improve Your Engineering Performance
