The Voice - Summer 2021 - 44

Q17. Relationship between ENGINEERING and LEADERSHIP
INDUSTRY
Figure 1: Overall, how do YOU feel about the relationship
between ENGINEERING and LEADERSHIP?
8%
17%
62%
13%
I don't think of engineering as a
leadership profession
ways of doing things. I would say, leadership is inherent
in every engineer because we are problem solvers. We
lead, others follow. "
I feel ambivalent about the
relationship between engineering
and leadership
I used to question the idea of
engineering as a leadership
profession, but now I accept it
I have always embraced the idea of
engineering as a leadership
profession
I don't think of engineering as a leadership profession
I feel ambivalent about the relationship between
engineering and leadership
I used to question the idea of engineering as a leadership
profession, but now I accept it
I have always embraced the idea of engineering as a
leadership profession
Respondents provided comments that gave us insights into
the perspectives of individuals in the four groups. Those who
have always embraced the idea of engineering as a leadership
profession saw the technical and leadership aspects as inherently
intertwined, while those who resisted the relationship viewed
engineering and leadership as mutually exclusive domains.
Some felt ambivalent about the relationship, recognizing some
overlap between engineering and leadership, while others grew
to embrace the idea through professional practice.
Respondents who embraced leadership often saw leadership
skills as key to helping engineers work more effectively. They
emphasized the need for engineers to work in teams, to influence
others, and to protect the public. They viewed the technical
component of engineering as a key part of engineering leadership,
not separate from it, and these individuals saw both their
engineering and leadership skills as central to their professional
identity.
" Engineers are world changers. They are inventors;
[engineers] help to solve age long problems by developing
processes/devices/equipment which helps to simplify
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THE VOICE June 2021
Respondents who had shifted their ideas of engineering as a
leadership profession over time shared similar sentiments. They
saw leadership development as a natural part of the engineering
career path:
" It is a growth thing. As you gain experience you begin to
see the leadership in your position. "
Finally, respondents who questioned the notion of engineering
as a leadership profession either saw or wanted to maintain a
distinction between leadership and engineering. While they
agreed that some engineers are excellent leaders, they tended to
see a clear separation between the technical and interpersonal
aspects of engineering, occasionally mourning their own
technical to managerial transition:
" The best engineers I know are all incredibly competent
but they're not leaders. That's not to say that some people
with engineering backgrounds don't go on to be good
leaders but as soon as they're in a position where the
leadership aspect of the job takes over, they're not doing
anything related to engineering anymore. "
" If you push every engineer to become a leader, you will
push some excellent engineers away. "
These early results are interesting and suggest further lines of
inquiry. What barriers constrain engineers' leadership efforts?
Do perspectives differ by gender, race, age or engineering
discipline? How can we help engineers combine the technical
and leadership aspects of their roles? Stay tuned for more
reporting in The Voice and at OSPE's upcoming Engineering
Conference in October. To learn more about the Conference visit
https://bit.ly/OSPEengineeringconference
OSPE member and professor Dr. Emily Moore, Ph.D.,
P.Eng., is the Director, Dr. Cindy Rottmann the Associate
Director of Research, and Dr. Andrea Chan a Research
Associate at the Troost Institute for Leadership Education
in Engineering at the University of Toronto. This research
was funded by a Partnership Engage Grant from the Social
Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
https://www.bit.ly/OSPEengineeringconference
The Voice - Summer 2021

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