Engineering Management Institute

UPCOMING TRAINING

Pamela A. Scott

Providing Stellar Service to Your Engineering Customers

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

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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How to Write Emails That Get the Job Done

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

write emailsWhat if you could write really good emails? Would it boost your career?

I’m sure it would because being able to write really good emails would make you stand out from the crowd. Most people write emails that are average or below average.

How do you know if your emails are above average, or even really good? Here’s my formula for writing emails that set you apart from the others and endear you to your boss.

Your reader can:

  • Read and understand your email the first time through
  • Find your main point quickly
  • See whether or not he/she needs to take action now, then do so
  • Find the details needed to understand your message and act accordingly
  • Go on about his/her day without having to ask clarifying questions via another email or phone call

write emails

Top 10 Tips for Writing Great Emails

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Avoid Conflict by Focusing on These 3 Areas

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

Avoid Conflict

“This is what I NEED them to do,” a client said during our call recently. I had to squash the groan that was trying to escape my mouth.

The words and the tone of voice this client used were enough to ensure that “they” were not at all likely to do what she wanted them to do. “They” were her peers. She was asserting authority that she didn’t have.

Here are steps you can take to have successful conversations that don’t turn into unnecessary conflict.

Look At the Words You Use

“I need,” “I want,” and “you should” are good ways to send a conversation downhill before you’ve really gotten started.

When you use those expressions, you come across as a dictator. The persons you’re talking at — not with — can feel belittled, bullied, run over, and more. They’ll possibly end up thinking you’re a jerk.

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80% Done Beats Perfect

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

PerfectHave you been in this situation? You’re up against a tight budget and tight timelines on a project. You get the bulk of the work done, but then you just can’t seem to power through to the finish line.

You know your work is really good. If only I could find that one missing piece, you think. Then it would be perfect.

No. It won’t.

“No one is perfect … that’s why pencils have erasers.” ~ Author Unknown

Project manager Chris assigned Joel, a staff engineer, to work on the new roadway project. She told him what she expected and that he should get the work done in three hours.

A day went by without Joel checking back in with Chris. She called him a day later.

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Be a Better You

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

Better YouThe people who read this blog are educated, experienced problem-solving professionals, and, I’m assuming, really smart. That is what my 15+ years of working with engineers has taught me.  

However, for many of those engineers, their confidence wanes when it comes to non-technical knowledge, skills, and abilities.  

Does the idea of public speaking give you the shakes? Do you dread having to go to network events, even virtual ones? How much do you enjoy managing people, especially the difficult ones? Are you excited about business development and finding new work?

If you aren’t as confident about those skills as you are about technical knowledge and skills, read on. Here are two steps you can take to conquer your fears and become a better you.

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Building Self Confidence – You Are in Charge of You!

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

Self Confidence

“Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise L. Hay, motivational author

I love that quote. We are all experts at telling ourselves how we messed up. It’s time to shift our focus by building our self-confidence.

If you think you’re the only one with self-confidence issues, think again. I realized recently that most (if not all) clients I’ve coached over the past 15-plus years have struggled with self-confidence. That includes CEOs and other executive-level staff as well as teenagers trying to find direction.

Reprogram Your Brain

Let’s start with listening to how you program your brain via the words you use.

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How To Write SMART Goals, Courtesy of a Moose

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

SMART GoalsSeveral years ago, we took a family vacation to Maine. Being a savvy professional, I set official goals for the trip. I wrote them down, of course. Goals aren’t real unless you write them down.

I shared my written goals with a peer group. I even wrote them down in the visitors’ registration book at a Maine information center.

“Goals for Maine trip: to get a green tourmaline ring and to see a moose.”

Before I tell you what happened, let’s look at how to set goals using the SMART method, a tried-and-true model for goal setting. And very fitting for this time of year.

SMART goals

Identify Your SMART Goals

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Leadership Skills You Can Develop Now

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

Leadership Skills

Are you doing what it takes to earn a leadership role at your firm?

A few years ago, I was working with a team of senior project managers (PM). The training program was “From PMs to Business Leaders.” In our first session, I asked them to list the job requirements for a PM and for a business leader. The list for the PMs was quite long. The list for a business leader had just a couple bullets on it.

One PM looked at the lists and said, “If our executive team members were killed in an accident, we wouldn’t even know how to turn off the lights.” Bingo!

How equipped are you to take on a leadership role at your firm? Below are three critical capabilities necessary to become a leader.

1) Network With Intention

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