Engineering Management Institute

Jeff Perry

Breaking Down Impostor Syndrome for Ambitious Engineers

By

This is a guest post by Jeff Perry, MBA

Impostor Syndrome

“It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you are not.” ~ Denis Waitley 

Impostor syndrome is a common struggle. We all have it — at least to some degree. And those who don’t think they have it at all are probably just too prideful to recognize or admit it. 

It’s this feeling like we don’t belong. Even when we’re doing good work, there is this lingering fear that perhaps one day someone with a clipboard is going to come up to us and say, “I’m sorry, it appears we’ve made a mistake — you need to go now.” 

But how do we manage it so it doesn’t keep us down, hold us back, and limit our success? Let’s talk about that! 

Name It to Tame It: An Example 

[Read more…] about Breaking Down Impostor Syndrome for Ambitious Engineers

TECC 265: Finding Career Fulfillment in Your Engineering Career

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Finding Career Fulfillment in Your Engineering Career

In this episode, Jeff Perry, MBA talks about how you can find career fulfillment. He shares a framework that will help you on your journey and some actions that you can start taking right away to get on the path to engineering career fulfillment.

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Finding Career Fulfillment:

[Read more…] about TECC 265: Finding Career Fulfillment in Your Engineering Career

Effective Strategies in a World of Remote Work

By

 

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 

[Read more…] about Effective Strategies in a World of Remote Work

As a Leader, You Must Extend Trust to Earn Trust

By

This is a blog by Jeff Perry, MBA

Can you ever write and talk enough about trust? Probably not. Its power is huge at work, at home, in communities, and more.  

Without trust, things just break down. Yet trust doesn’t just happen or magically appear. It is built and shaped over time in relationships by making and keeping commitments to each other.  

But where does it begin?  

With you. 

A Leader’s Job Is to Lead 

[Read more…] about As a Leader, You Must Extend Trust to Earn Trust

Is Conflict Always Bad? The Answer May Surprise You

By

This is a blog by Jeff Perry, MBA

conflictMost of us, when we think about conflict, consider it a bad thing we should avoid. That’s not exactly true.

The right kind of conflict can actually build trust and increase performance in teams! In fact, I would say that one of the best indicators of a team that trusts each other is the amount of conflict in the team.

Positive, healthy conflict happens when we can challenge each other in real ways, be open and honest, and collaborate more effectively.

conflict

Disagreements Are Normal and Should Be Encouraged

There is no situation or team that is going to sail through all projects and tasks without ever disagreeing with each other. Yet one of the things that can build divisions and trouble in a teams faster than anything is when people don’t feel heard and able to express disagreements, especially with leaders.

[Read more…] about Is Conflict Always Bad? The Answer May Surprise You

Find Your Genius Zone: The Ultimate Personal Brand

By

This is a blog by Jeff Perry, MBA

Personal BrandPersonal branding is getting more and more attention as a piece of building our careers, yet many people ignore it or do not even know what it is. Whether you do it intentionally or not, you are putting off a personal brand — but is it the one that you want to have?

Let us dive deeper into how you can take charge and help others perceive you in the way you want to be known.

What Is a Personal Brand?

Put simply, a personal brand is how you promote yourself. It’s the amount of “who you are” that you allow the world to see. It’s your opportunity to tell your story and differentiate yourself from others.

Personal Brand

An easy way to think about a personal brand is to imagine a simple Venn diagram. In one circle are all of the attributes, skills, personality traits, interests, and experiences that you have. In the other circle are all of the ways you show that to other people — online, in a resume, on LinkedIn, personal websites, and more. The intersection of the two circles is your personal brand — how much people actually see of who you truly are.

[Read more…] about Find Your Genius Zone: The Ultimate Personal Brand

Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset

By

This is a blog by Jeff Perry, MBA

Entrepreneurs

“If you don’t take control of your career development, it’s highly unlikely that anyone else will!”
~ Derric Yuh Ndim

Whether you are an entrepreneur, business owner, leader, or individual contributor/employee, there are lessons you can take from how entrepreneurs successfully operate so you can build a great life and career.

Entrepreneurs are known for being visionary, risk takers, and innovators. Often they go “all-in” on an idea to try and make it happen.

Does that mean you have to put it “all on the line” and “risk it all”? No, not necessarily. But you can take smart risks that seem difficult or uncomfortable right now that will lead to personal and professional growth.

Why Mindset?

[Read more…] about Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset

Changing Your Mindset Is the Key to Change Management

By

 

This is a blog by Jeff Perry, MBA

Over the last year, virtually every company and firm has had to undergo significant shifts to adapt to the new realities created by the worldwide pandemic. As leaders, it’s critical that we move through these shifts by helping our teams not only adjust to the “new normal” of changed work processes and behaviors, but also by improving our mindset to improve our performance.

Take this quote from a study done by McKinsey Research:

… if companies can identify and address pervasive mind-sets at the outset, they are four times more likely to succeed in organizational-change efforts than are companies that overlook this stage.”

Key Principle: Mindsets can result in a 4X chance of success! Interested in learning more? Read on.

[Read more…] about Changing Your Mindset Is the Key to Change Management

Being a Good Communicator Isn’t as Hard as You Think

By

This is a guest blog by Jeff Perry, MBA

Good Communicator“Engineers don’t have good communication skills.” I hear this all the time, and it is a myth. While it may be true for some engineers, we cannot put it out as a blanket truth that applies to all of them. And most importantly, if someone is not a great communicator now, they can develop those skills, just like anyone else. Often this myth pairs itself with the expectation that most engineers are introverts, which some people think leads to bad communication.

The truth is, both introverts and extroverts can be fantastic communicators, as these skills can be learned and developed over time. The natural behavioral types of introvert vs extrovert have nothing to do with actual ability to communicate, but rather identify how people gain energy from interpersonal interaction (and where they exist on the spectrum). Humans are naturally social beings, and we feel purpose as we develop connections with others. Thus, developing an array of communication skills is necessary for everyone to be happy and healthy.

To assist, I’d love to share some ideas and activities to help you level-up your communication skills:

Practice Listening

Developing communication skills is a broad idea that covers a lot of ground. To start, engineers can develop their own communication abilities by focusing on the skill of listening. I love this quote by Stephen R. Covey:

[Read more…] about Being a Good Communicator Isn’t as Hard as You Think

Meet Jeff Perry, MBA – the New Host of the Engineering Career Coach Podcast

By




The Engineering Management Institute is thrilled to have Jeff Perry, MBA, leadership coach and founder of More Than Engineering as the new host of The Engineering Career Coach Podcast –  a podcast dedicated to helping engineers create extraordinary careers and lives.

Jeff decided to transition in his engineering career towards coaching and training because he saw the amazing difference it makes in the lives of individuals and teams. He finds more joy in helping others be their best selves by developing people, rather than developing projects and services.

His advice to engineers is to not buy into classic engineering stereotypes that can sometimes limit your beliefs about yourself.

“Engineering is a key component to economic growth and world-wide innovation.”
~ Jeff Perry, MBA

Jeff’s goal as host of The Engineering Career Coach Podcast is to bring engineers the latest in personal development ideas from experts all over the world to allow them to improve their personal lives and careers.

[Read more…] about Meet Jeff Perry, MBA – the New Host of the Engineering Career Coach Podcast