Engineering Management Institute

Mickey Addison

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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Why You Need a Coach

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

Need a CoachI need a coach. Anyone can trudge through a task or lesson on their own, but if I truly want to get better, I’m in need of a coach. 

I’ve been an athlete all my life. I started soccer at age 6, baseball at age 8, and I lettered in both football and track in high school. Attending a senior military college and then entering the Air Force afterward meant intramural sports, physical training, and annual physical fitness tests from the age of 18 until my retirement from the service in 2017. Of course, we lead active lives in our house as well: hiking, cycling, CrossFit, surfing. Well, you get the idea. I’m not a couch potato. 

The reason for that self-absorbed preamble is to establish that at 55 years, I’m not a novice to physical fitness or the gym — and despite all that experience, I STILL need a coach! 

Successful People Are Lifelong Learners 

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Finding the Sweet Spot

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

sweet spotThe New Year always brings us opportunities to think about how we can lead better and manage our projects better. We make resolutions, set goals, and try new things to motivate our teams.

As we do this, it’s essential to take a step back and look at the metaphorical horizon, that is, think strategically. That means harmonizing our personal and professional goals with those of our teams, our work, and our organizations. The better we do that, the better chance we have of being successful in achieving our goals. That’s where the Leader-Sync Model comes in. Generating a common picture and integrating the various needs of the Institution, Project, and People is a great way to help build a shared view and shared purpose.

A Leadership Common Operating Picture

If you’ve been around the military for any length of time, you’re likely to hear the term “common operating picture” (COP). A common operating picture is the view of the battlespace that is shared with everybody that’s involved in that battlespace. It’s called a common operating picture because it’s common across everybody who’s in there, everybody who needs to see it, and what the military now terms “Multi-Domain Operations” (air, space, sea, land, cyber). What’s important about a COP is that information is shared and constantly updated so that everyone has a shared view and can pursue a shared goal.

sweet spot

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Remember Who You Work For

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

Work ForWhen someone asks a leader who they work for, the best answer is “I work for my team.” That’s obviously not a complete answer, but it speaks to a mindset. Leadership is service, and leaders who approach their roles with that mindset are more likely to be successful. It’s not the complete answer, of course, so to that end, let’s spend some time thinking about respect. Leaders must demonstrate respect, require it in the team, and be able to move our organizations forward in a rapidly changing world.

Everyone Deserves Respect

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TCEP 019: Riding The Wave of Change As a Civil Engineer Leader

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Civil Engineer Leader

In episode 019 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, Mickey Addison, a career military officer, author, civil engineer and senior leader, teaches us what it takes to lead in a senior level position, how to handle organizational changes, and the role of mentoring and coaching in civil engineering leaders.

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed About Riding the Wave of Change as a Civil Engineer Leader:

  • On time management:
    • Block time off to allow yourself to get off the desk
    • Be present to the people around you
    • Take personnel actions (things that affect one’s career)
  • The more energy that you put in to being present to the people that you lead and work with, the higher performing team it becomes.
  • When the leaders are engaged, the people are engaged.

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