Engineering Management Institute

Pamela A. Scott

How to Delegate Tasks Effectively (And Why You Should Do It)

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This is a guest blog post by Pamela A. Scott

This piece is on delegation, why you should do it, and how to do it right. First, though, check out how to do it badly.

My husband and adult daughter were both working from home, as was I. I kept hearing them shout from the other room: “Is the internet down?” “Why does the web keep crashing?” “What’s wrong with our wireless?”

Then the suggestions started coming in.

“You (me) should call ACME and tell them their service sucks.”

“My friend found a different jiggambob that speeded up his service. You (me) should call him.”

“I think it would work better if you (me) turned the refrigerator upside down.”

I was on deadline; I didn’t have time for their problems. That’s when I actually said the following. I can’t believe I said it, but I did.

“Bring me solutions, not problems,” I barked.

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People Management: Top Guidelines to Develop Yourself and Your Team

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

People Management“People management” — that’s the term nowadays for managing your people and yourself. It means you’re focusing on growing the employee side of your business.

I’ve worked with engineers for over 20 years on the people management side of their business. That’s why my tagline is “If you don’t take care of your people, you won’t have a business to run.”

This blog post is aimed at helping you grow yourself and your people. The ideas apply for CEOs as well as for rookie engineers — and even for those non-engineering folks out there.

Guideline #1: Show Appreciation

People want to be appreciated. It is your job to let your people know that you appreciate them and what they do. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

People Management

Lots of engineers freeze at the idea that they need to tell their people, “Thanks for what you do. I really appreciate you.” Notice that it’s YOU, not IT.

If doing that gives you hives, try this approach to build your mental muscles and communication style.

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8 Tips to Getting the Most Out of Your Engineering Career and Life

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

Engineering Career and Life

Is this you? Do you feel like the hamster going round and round on the wheel and getting nowhere in your engineering career and life?

What are you doing to make the most out of what you have in front of you right now? Can you afford to wait until the world gets nice again, whenever that’s going to be?

I can’t.

Engineers, NOW is the time to DO something — get off the hamster wheel and act. Make something happen.

Here Are 8 Tips That You Can Use to Help You Get off That Wheel:

1. Do a Reality Check on Your Strategic Plan

Pull out your strategic plan for 2022. What projects are in limbo? Maybe they got put on hold because the key players were swamped and didn’t have time to work on those earlier. Which ones could or should be handled now because the key players have more flexibility?

2. Reach Out to Clients

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The Art of Asking Fearless Questions as an Engineer

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

For quite some time, I’ve been harping on the need to ask good questions. Regardless of where you are in your engineering career, I am confident that you would benefit from amping up your questioning skills. To do that, keep reading.

Many of us think we’re asking questions when what we’re really doing is recommending how to solve a problem. I learned that from 15 years in Vistage, an organization that provides coaching and peer advisers for CEOs.

The Vistage questioning process went like this. James, CEO of a medium-sized engineering firm, shared his problem with his Vistage group.

Questioning or Recommending?

“I’m stuck on what to do with a couple of employees who seem to be showing up just so they can collect a paycheck. Their poor attitude and laziness is impacting other employees. I’d get rid of them, but I can’t find someone to replace them. I don’t know what to do.”

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Great Managers Ask Powerful Questions

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

Good QuestionsJoin me as we discuss a group of managers whose task was to share information with staff on how a company decision was made. Their conversation had gone around in circles.

Then one brave soul spoke up. “Do you think it’s likely that we can develop any sort of communication plan by continuing to pool our ignorance about how this decision was made?”

Chris Clarke-Epstein shares that story in her book “78 Important Questions Every Leaders Should Ask and Answer.”

What a great question! I particularly like “continuing to pool our ignorance. . .”

If only all questions were so wonderfully worded.

This blog focuses on asking good questions, a subject near and dear to my heart. And a challenge to just about every one of us. The blog also provides links to good questions already written for you to ask.

Your Prerequisite for This Blog

Before you dig in on how to ask questions, develop your curiosity. Curiosity is the basis for all questions. Young children torture us with their questions of “Why, Mommy?” “Why does it hurt when I fall off my bike, Daddy?” “Why is she looking at me like that?”

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Stomp Out the ANTs With Your Self-Confidence

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

your self-confidenceBuilding self-confidence, in my opinion, is like a tug of war in your head. One part of you is saying, “I can do this,” while the other part of you is saying, “No you can’t. You’re a disaster.”

“Don’t believe everything you hear — even in your own head.” That advice comes from Dr. Daniel Amen, who coined the term ANTs—Automatic Negative Thoughts. Just like real ants that ruin your picnic, ANTs can ruin your day.

your self-confidence

Your goal is to stomp out those ANTs. Kill those negative thoughts. Don’t listen to them when they pop into your brain. Remember, you are in charge, not the ANTs. Dr. Amen has some suggestions on how to do that here.

People See What You Project

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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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How to Set SMART Goals in 2022 and Make Them Achievable

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It’s the end of the year. You know what that means for you, right? It’s time to set your goals for 2022.

Setting Goals Requires You to Reflect on What You Did and Did Not Accomplish in 2021

  • What new tools did you learn to use?
  • What new experience did you gain about working with clients?
  • What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Take time to reflect on your wins.

Then Turn Each of Those Questions Around to Ask Yourself What You Want to Accomplish in 2022

  • What new tools do you want to master?
  • What new interactions can you have with clients?
  • What accomplishments do you want to brag about at this time next year?

I’ve learned certain goal-setting strategies will help me — and you — be more successful. And as one CEO told me recently, “The difference between having goals and not having goals is results.”

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The Truth About Selling

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott


“I hate sales!” “I could never sell anything!” I wish I had a dime—maybe a dollar—for every time I uttered phrases like that.  

My first business coach helped me break that thought pattern. Here is how the thinking goes:  

  1. You are an engineer who excels at (fill in the blank). 
  2. You happen to meet Chris, whose company does (fill in the blank). 
  3. Chris mentions that he/she really needs help filling a client’s request for (what you provide). 
  4. Upon hearing that, you say, “I/we can help you with that.” 
  5. Chris says, “I’d like to learn more. Call me.” 

Did you sell anything? No. 

Did you tell Chris you could help with the problem? Yes.  

Did you have to take Chris down some long sales conversation to get his/her interest? No. 

Will you close the deal? The likelihood is high.  

Change Your Thinking 

Selling isn’t about selling in that icky, slimy way that you have perceived it. Selling is about you providing a friend/client/stranger with a solution to the problem they’re trying to address. In return for your help, you get paid.  

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Providing Stellar Service to Your Engineering Customers

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

Providing Stellar Service to Your Engineering CustomersThink back to the last time you had a marvelous buying experience. It doesn’t matter what you were buying — a car, prescription drugs, or a hot dog. What made that experience stand out for you, the customer?

Now, put yourself in the shoes of your customers. They are the clients who hire you or your firm to provide whatever services you or your firm offer. How would they rate their experience as your customer?

A few years ago, I asked that question to a group of engineering project managers (PMs). Here are a few of dozens of topics they raised related to providing excellent service to their engineering customers:

Questions for Your Clients

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