8 Tips to Getting the Most Out of Your 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 […]
The Art of Asking Fearless Questions as an Engineer
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 […]
Great Managers Ask Powerful Questions
Join 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 […]
Stomp Out the ANTs With Your Self-Confidence
Building 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 […]
Leaders, Help Staff Understand You
Here’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 […]
How to Set SMART Goals in 2022 and Make Them Achievable
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 […]
The Truth About Selling
“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: You are an engineer who excels at (fill in the blank). You happen to meet Chris, […]
Providing Stellar Service to Your Engineering Customers
Think 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 […]
How to Write Emails That Get the Job Done
What 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 […]
Avoid Conflict by Focusing on These 3 Areas
“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 […]
