We as engineers absolutely do great things!  I’ll speak specifically about civil engineers in this post because that is my background.  Wikipedia defines civil engineering as a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works such as bridges, roads, canals, dams and buildings.

So basically, what they are saying is civil engineers design, or at least contribute to the design, of just about everything and anything you see when you walk outdoors, right?  Buildings, roadways, dams, traffic signals, traffic signs, storm water ponds and catch basins, dams, utilities, curbs, sidewalks….stop me at anytime….

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Relying on techno jargon to differentiate yourself in meetings? With peers or with clients..especially with the “uninitiated”…meaning owners or non-technical folks?

Seriously, what if no one in the room understands what you are saying, except the other civil engineer? Do you sit there, giving each other sideways, knowing looks? Rolling your eyes? Becoming impatient with the other folks in the room because they don’t “get it”? I mean, Is techno speak the same as knowing the “secret handshake”?

Get over yourselves. If anyone’s read The Grand Challenges to Engineering of the 21st Century lately, these projects are for the benefit of the greater good of society. Not a closed civil engineering community. And the last time I checked, society doesn’t operate in a vacuum. There is a diversity of opinion and perspective. Depending on where everyone sits around the table, they see the same thing differently.

How can you honor societal needs and perspectives if you are waiting for everyone to get a civil engineering degree so they can “get you?” Because everyone else around the table interprets techno speak as “another language.” And they are waiting for simultaneous translation so they can understand, appreciate, respect and communicate. They are waiting for that simultaneous translation from you.
Are you up to this challenge? Perhaps this is the 15th grand challenge to engineering in the 21st century.
You know, if folks actually understand what you are talking about, there may be some great discussion that can take a project in a direction no one was anticipating. You actually might learn something. And so might the other folks around the table.
So why retreat and circle the wagons by relying on communication via techno speak? If you feel you are differentiating yourself, you just may be isolating yourself as being hard to communicate with and not necessarily being a team player. Perhaps you are interpreted as being exclusive or elitist. I am quite sure these result s are not what you intend and are certainly not your career goal!

And if you’ve come out of engineering school and are really uncomfortable speaking to non-technical types, well, learn how to do this! Clue card: joining a softball league, playing golf, engaging in anything recreational allows you to come up with SIMPLE, non-technical responses to the question: “So, what do you do?” And then apply this spirit of getting your point across to the next meeting you are in, where you have to explain a civil engineering concept to, let’s say, those sales guys. And what if those sales guys just happened to be from, say, Mars and didn’t speak your language anyway? Wouldn’t you go through some linguistic gymnastics to get your point across? And you’d be patient, as well.
I mean, haven’t you wondered sometimes if the sales guys DID come from another planet? I’m sure they’ve asked themselves that question about the technical folks.

Just don’t create barriers to communication because you think those folks are not as smart as you, and therefore not worth your time. I don’t think so. In the long run, everyone has something to teach the other person. And what that is may become a critical design element. So don’t short change yourself.
What good is using techo speak when you only end up talking to yourself?

Think about it.

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Featured Guest Blogger: Babette Burdick
Sales Aerobics for Engineers
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What is your time worth? To you, your company, clients and end users of your products and services?

When does the value that you perceive you bring to your company become less-than-valuable?

There is a fine art in bringing projects in on-time and at or under budget. And in this economy, that fine line is becoming razor sharp. Delighting customers and exceeding expectations may result from the economics of the project rather than cutting edge design that carries a high price tag and unappreciative end users.

This week, some project engineers and I were discussing how to tell when a project is complete.  They related how they are continually striving to make the project outcome better, add more enhancements, ask more questions of the client, constantly refine the design and contents of the project…. until their managers start breathing down their necks wondering why the project hasn’t been completed.

Let’s face it. It’s the nature of the engineering discipline. Analysis, design, improvement, redesign. Plan-Do- Check-Act. To infinity and beyond.  Except, very few clients hire engineers and technical specialists simply to think….and think….and think.   If that were true, we could all go to the mailbox each day and receive a huge check for all the great thoughts we had during the week before.  I don’t think so.

Billable time. You know what that is.  And you know the rate that you or your company bills out your time. The question becomes whether or not your company recovers that cost in terms of profit on your project.

Civil Engineers enjoy challenges and are tremendous analytical thinkers. They do, however, sometimes confuse discussing a potential project with being engaged in business development (aka, “sales”). For you civil engineers who have been thrust into a sales role without understanding the dynamics of a sales conversation, beware. Engineers are notorious at spinning out ramifications of a design, constantly asking “what if?” of themselves and other engineers. And thinking they are “selling.”

How many times has an engineer from one company called up an engineer from your company (you, perhaps?) to kick things around… on a project that is neither approved nor funded? An hour later, on your company’s dime, you/ your engineer has provided lots of consultative design insights to the other engineer. And your company never is awarded the project, if they are even asked to bid on it. And for those companies who have been forced to rely on the bid process on public projects, your profit margins are being squeezed to bare minimum.

While this scenario has been more common in the manufacturing arena, it may become more prevalent as less staff attempts to provide more functionality within civil engineering firms.

While I’m not suggesting that you dumb-down your project design and/or management efforts, I am asking you to consider how many of your projects are brought in on-time and at- or under-budget? Do you hold things up or move things forward? Do you understand when you have arrived at the best solution, although it may not be the optimal one?

Ask yourself what the gross and net profit of these projects are to your company. What was your billable time and at what rate? What is your salary?

Now you can begin to calculate what your time is worth and the value that you bring to your company. Working in a vacuum outside the context of the bigger picture surrounding your role is not a viable strategy in any economy. Especially this one.

Think about it.

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I have said in the past that it is extremely important to have career goals, which act as a destination for where you are taking your career.  It is important when setting your goals, to take the time to figure out exactly what you want, nothing more, and nothing less.

Clearly defining your goal is extremely important.  Use an analogy of driving to a destination.  Is it easier to get somewhere if you only know the city or state or if you know the exact street address?  Your goals act as that street address that constantly tells you where you are going.

In setting these clearly defined goals, you really need to figure out what you want.  Many people will water down their goals during this process because they believe they are too lofty.  By doing this, you are giving up on your goal before you even attempt to achieve it.  Why?  You have the ability to achieve absolutely anything you want to in your career.  When you are setting your goals, just think about your current situation as scenario “A” and the goal you are seeking as scenario “B” AND DO NOT TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET FROM A TO B AT THIS POINT.  When people think about the route they will have to take, that is when they often start the “watering-down” process.  You can worry about action plans and steps you may take later, but when you are setting your goals focus on your desires, regardless of how unattainable you may think they are.

For example, let’s say you have a clearly defined goal of being promoted to Project Manager in the next 18 months.  Attached to this goal is a rule that you set for yourself to work no more than 45 hours per week so that you can maintain your work-family balance.  In reviewing that goal, you might say to yourself, there is no way I can get that promotion if I only work 45 hours per week, so you change it to 50.  You have now altered your true goal and compromised your values by giving up your work-family balance.  This decision was based on a LIMITING BELIEF.

In coaching, we help people with limited beliefs on a regular basis.  A limiting belief is exactly what it sounds like; it’s a belief that you hold, that limits you in some way, shape or form.  Limiting beliefs typically stem from your past.  They may have developed from interaction with someone specific or a certain situation that deeply influenced you.  In the above example, the limiting belief is that you cannot become a project manager by working 45 hours per week.  Why not?  Couldn’t you work more efficiently and delegate more?  Limiting beliefs often prevent us from not only achieving our goals, but from setting true goals.  When you run into a limiting belief, the best way to beat it is to question it!

Where does that belief come from?

How can I let go of that belief?

Now that you are aware of limiting beliefs start to identify, question and overcome yours today.  Doing this will help you tremendously in achieving your lofty career goals!

What limiting beliefs are currently holding you back from achieving your career goals as a civil engineering professional?

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Featured Guest Blogger: Babette Burdick
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If you had to do it all over again, what would you change?

Would you even have entered civil engineering or architecture? If you knew then what you knew now? Especially after 2009?

Some of us (facetiously?) would say we would take LESS course work if we had to do it all over again.. Perhaps so we could party more? Study more? Work out more?

Getting serious, though, based on what you know now, what would you change about your undergrad and graduate education line-up, based on what you wish you knew then?

I know that the biggest shock to me as a biology/physical anthropology dual major was the lack of direction I was provided in terms of career options available to me after I graduated. I wasn’t exactly looking for the proverbial “handwriting on the wall”… although a few scribbles would have been greatly appreciated. So I went into laboratory research, killed more than a few cell cultures, developed expertise in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, decided to go to grad school and figured out in short order that a life of lab research simply wasn’t for me. I liked the teaching part and the interacting with folks. Somehow I landed on the business side of pharmaceutical research and realized (and was constantly told) I had the “gift” of translating business-speak into scientific/technical/ops speak. That’s the short story.

This week, in my Sales Aerobics For Engineers blog, I interviewed Masha V. Petrova, PhD, of MVP Modeling Solutions: a real, live engineer. The subject, “what they DIDN’T teach you in engineering school,” is so relevant that I must refer you to it. I certainly did post it on this site.

HOW WOULD YOU FILL IN THE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GAPS AT THIS POINT IN YOUR LIFE? Have you taken the time to identify the gaps? These gaps may include gaps in your professional organization as well as in your professional resume.

Perhaps you work for a company full of braniacs who are unable to translate what’s on their mind (literally) into simple, non-technical phrases so that customers “get it” and have confidence in what you/your company are all about. What type of training, coursework, perspective would it take in terms of education to get you/your colleagues from the company’s Point A to the customer’s Point B? How can you/your company retrofit to span that gap? Right now?

If you were asked to teach a course on civil engineering or architecture at your university or community college, what would you bring to the table, now, that you felt you didn’t receive when you were in the same shoes are the students? I believe it’s called wisdom. And professional perspective. And being honest and upfront. Your thoughts?

What’s the missing link(s) in terms of engineering education that prevents you and your company from being as globally competitive as you could be? Why don’t engineering and architecture educators “get it”? Yes, I know engineers are resistant to change. However, educators have made the choice to communicate to others. So at the very least they are committed to cross-training their brains.

If you are a member of a professional organization, how can you impact today’s engineering and architecture students? How can your organization showcase stewardship and outreach to fill in the gaps in engineering and architectural education, at the grade school level as well as to graduate and post-graduate students?

I know you understand that the ability of engineers to work in both technical and business worlds is the true fulcrum of revenue generation and competitive edge in today’s economy. And the “how to” achieve this end point is not going to be provided to you in terms of some sort of recipe for success.

Technically-oriented individuals, such as engineers, tend towards being myopic and prescriptive by nature. However, would you describe yourself as needing to be led around by the hand in order to understand the big picture? Something tells me you would be offended by that description of self. However, do you impact or react? Are you proactive or do you wait for others?

I don’t think you’ve gotten to where you are today by richoting around like a pin-ball in a game machine. You take what you do seriously. Very seriously.

So what would you now choose to do to make up for the gaps in your own professional development? What would “that” look like: taking courses, teaching, outreach to grade schools, greater involvement in the stewardship of your professional organizations?

In doing these activities, you get to do it all over again… for yourself and for others.

How about giving it a go in 2010?

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I recently completed a certified professional coach training program at the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) and it was an amazing experience. I have to say I was extremely nervous going into it, being a civil engineer with a technical background, however I instantly fell in love with coaching and it is now totally natural for me.

As part of the training, one of the books we were required to read was “Breaking the Rules” by Kurt Wright.  The book focuses on being your best and how people and organizations can achieve their maximum potential.  The author states that being at your best cannot occur until you gain real-time access to your intuition or your “right brain.”  This was extremely scary to me being a civil engineer who operates mostly from the analytical portion of the brain or the “left-brain”, however as I read the book I became fascinated with the message.

The left and right hemispheres of your brain process information differently.  The left side of the brain processes information linearly, from part to whole.  It processes in a logical order; prior to drawing conclusions. The right brain processes in reverse from whole to part.  It starts with the end-result or solution.  It sees the big picture first, instead of all of the details.  Everyone tends to have a dominant side of the brain; however, the thinking process is improved when both sides of the brain participate equally known as whole brain thinking.

Engineers, and pretty much all of human civilization are always looking for “What’s wrong”? We are always analyzing situations to try to identify a problem so that we can fix it.  The author of the book states that by asking “What’s wrong?” questions, you cause all of your thinking to be done by the analytical part of your brain.  Asking “What’s wrong” questions constantly puts you into a negative state of mind.

So what’s the alternative?  How about start by asking the question “What’s right?” For example, let’s say you meet with your team on a certain project that is taking much longer than it should and likely will be over budget.  We are programmed to ask the team “What’s wrong?” and start discussing all of the problems on the project and try to figure out how to fix them.  What if you were to start by asking the team “What’s right?”  By reviewing all of the things that are working for the team, you can focus on applying some of your success to the lacking portions of the project, while maintaining a positive attitude and atmosphere within the team.  This brainstorming exercise will foster use of the right brain and move the team members towards whole brain thinking.

The thought behind the “What’s right?” mentality is that people are at their best when they are doing what they are good at and what they love to do. By focusing on people’s strengths you can ensure that they are extremely productive and engaged in what they are doing and thus the organization will be more effective as a whole.  So next time you are faced with a problem or a challenge, stop, be creative, access your right brain and explore all of the things that are right about the situation and see where that leads you!

Do you or anyone that you know follow the “What’s right?” mentality regularly?   How has it worked for you?

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Featured Guest Blogger: Babette Burdick
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I must really ask you this question. Because your 2010 Business Plans are now set and the quarterly numbers are created and the forecasts and targets are locked in stone. The business gun has officially gone off and you are racing towards the annual fiscal – and professional – finish line. And of course everyone has do make up for 2009. It’s gotta be better in 2010. Really.

Whoa there, folks. Take off your blinders. As you trample through the ongoing rush for prospecting, customer retention and business development – and all the technical, engineering and support functions – you kinda left something at the starting line. Your customers.

After all, no one ever closed a deal without the customer’s willingness to sign a contract. Oh, and write a check, too.

How much business  have you ever closed using the line: “I need you to sign the contract by the 30^th of this month so I will make my quarterly projected revenue?”  Or how about this enduring closing line: “If you prefer, you don’t have to phase in this project over the next 18 months.  Why don’t you commit for the total amount right now, so I can achieve 25% growth for my annual projected business goals?”

By now, you must surely get my point: you work on behalf of your customers and not the reverse. How many of you actually honor this statement? Or do you rely on manipulating commitments so that the customer’s square peg fits into your company’s round hole of strategic business projections?

Ultimately, there are too many folks focusing on closing the sale: product or service placement. If you are working within a customer retention model, it’s not about closing the sale and placing  service. It’s about everything you do on behalf of your clients to support their online and offline decisions before the sale, as well as after the sale. In fact, your support may have nothing to do with any sale whatsoever.

By now you are probably griping that I am asking you to give away free consulting services on the whisper and a promise that you will, eventually, get a piece of business out of this “relationship building” exercise. I am not advocating advanced schmoozing or “freebieism.” However, if you understand the organizational environment in which your customer is trying to make a decision, it’s going to reduce your sales cycle.

If you think I have lost my mind, guess again. Customer support doesn’t start after the sale is closed.  In fact, if you are not part of your clients’ decision making team, you should be striving to create the expertise that causes them to ask you to their table. And not just as the “expert” in the consulting services category you are selling.

Wonder why, above all, you still are regarded as the “sales rep” or the “engineer” no matter how much training, certification and technical degrees you own? Could be that you are selling YOURSELF short in the long run if all you are doing is focusing on placing your consulting engineering services with the customer.

Perhaps your best 2010 business development strategy may be to focus on understanding all of the factors that impact your client’s being able to make a business decision on your proposed solution.  They may know they need your solution, and understand why (after all, you’ve done your homework on that score, haven’t you?). However, how many times after how many presentations and lunches and relationship building heart-to-hearts does a proposal simply languish? How many times do you or your customer feel like a salmon swimming upstream trying to get this proposal through the corporate channels for approval?

Could be that it’s not all about closing that sale?  Perhaps taking the time to learn the context of the decision is the greatest tool you can put into your 2010 toolbox.

Think about it.

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Featured Guest Blogger: Babette Burdick
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Stop salivating. I’m not going to be discussing the eternal dialectic between architects and engineers. I know the engineers take what architects design and somehow make it function. I know architects take what engineers design and make it aesthetically pleasing.

I’m talking about what form you take to make yourself functional. In any context.

How would you characterize your form? Are you a shape shifter? Do you constantly morph? Are you the same form regardless of situation? Does anyone know what – or whom – to expect when you interface with them? Do you take your form on and off like a suit of clothes? Are you play-acting? Are you authentic…Ever?

How does the form you take impact your function – and your value – to your organization? Are you the loose cannon no one wants to deal with because they never get the same “you” twice? Do you hide behind your engineering degree and your technical jargon so that you are impenetrable except to your peers – and therefore difficult to communicate with? Are you constantly striving to earn style points (literally) by putting yourself on an artistic pedestal and making your clients feel uncomfortable – even though they are the ones writing the checks for your services? Are you confused about what folks are expecting of you, and therefore inconsistent in actions and, consequently, performance?

We are at the time of the year – and this year particularly – when we need to take stock of ourselves. This is a thought process we should always be engaging in an ongoing basis. You know, continuous self improvement? Why just confine it to your architectural, engineering and planning projects?

If you are so many different things to so many different people based on what you think they want, how do you keep all this functional role-playing straight? Why on earth do you feel that you wouldn’t meet yourself coming and going, eventually?

It’s easier to shape shift than taking some personal inventory and aligning yourself so your form and function are fluid, continuous and authentic time after time. No surprises for anyone anymore. Although this new “you” may surprise you, yourself. Have you ever thought how it would be to effortlessly answer a question from a unified form-function position without thinking out a scripted response aligned with whatever politics you feel you need to support at that time?

So you guys think you don’t have time for this stuff. Too busy hustling new business or completing projects by year end? Compartmentalizing your professional form with function again?

Guess again. There’s no better time than now to figure out how to create steady-state dynamics between your form and function. Unfortunately they didn’t teach you – or any of us – about this in engineering school. The real world throws continuous curve balls at us. Most of us spend our lives dodging them or avoiding them rather than anticipating them and incorporating them. The big secret is that compartmentalization of the personal from the professional side of things doesn’t work.

Look around you and figure out how many shape-shifters are in your workplace. Is shape shifting encouraged? Does it result from a management style that leaves everyone in the dark…. Perhaps on purpose? Is this type of atmosphere toxic to your career and personal development? Are you ignoring this situation and hoping things resolve? How functional is all this shape shifting?

OK. I’ve made my point. I also encourage you to follow a similar discussion titled: “Are You Impeccable With Your Word?” on my blog at Sales Aerobics for Engineers. You see, I couldn’t compartmentalize this week, writing one distinct blog for my readers and another for the Civil Engineering Central audience. The two blogs are both parts of a whole. They invite dialogue.

Your thoughts?

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