Engineering Inc. - November/December 2015 - (Page 46)

Guest Column BY T I M AT H E Y Engineer as Executive H aving spent the bulk of my professional career working with science, technology and A/E/C firms, I've discovered that all of these organizations rely on engineering expertise to fuel the innovation, product/service design and market growth for their respective firms. Another common thread for these firms is the challenge they face in identifying and developing senior leadership talent required to carry the organization into the future. The question of whether or not engineers make good executives is moot. Some of the best CEOs I've worked with are engineers. Some of the worst were engineers as well. What makes the difference? Steps to Executive Leadership People who choose science, technology and engineering as a profession bring distinctive strengths to their craft. Some of these strengths, such as intelligence and analytical ability, are inherent to the individual. Other strengths, such as problem solving and project management skills, are learned. The key challenges for emerging executive leaders in science, technology and engineering companies include the following personal transformations: l FROM analyst and problem solver TO strategist and decision maker. l FROM being the smartest person in the room TO being the best communicator in the room. 46 ENGINEERING INC. FROM avoiding mistakes and minimizing risk TO learning from mistakes and taking bold action. l FROM creating the best technical solution TO creating the environment for innovative ideas. l FROM taking pride in their own achievements TO taking pride in achieving results through others. Based on a benchmark of competency models for technical/engineering leadership, as well as my own experience, the following are six key roles that executives must play in today's world: l Strategic Catalyst Emerging executives must go beyond simply thinking strategically to quickly translating strategic insights into action faster than the competition. The best engineering executives are: l Lateral Thinkers-seeing linkages between unrelated ideas and business opportunities. l Rapid Responders-making good decisions quickly without all the data or analysis. l Intelligent Listeners-listening, understanding and valuing the ideas of others. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015 Business Architect Emerging executives also must learn to be: l Value Integrators-assembling the organization's people/ resources to create new value. l Boundary Busters-removing legacy barriers to collaboration that prevent value creation. l Talent Builders-getting the right people with the right skills in the right positions. People Mobilizer Urge emerging executives to become: l Personal Engagers-staying close to the people and sensing the mood of the team. l Priority Lenses-keeping focused on both short-term priorities and long-term vision. l Energy Infusers-bringing insight, optimism and hope to their interactions with others. Force Multiplier Challenge emerging leaders to become: l Perpetual Simplifiers-driving process complexity and gridlock out of the business. l Work Innovators-creating a fearless environment that empowers people to innovate. l Tension Balancers-creating the right tension between the possible and the achievable. Culture Builder Emerging executives must learn to be: l Values Translators-reinforcing the core values while evolving the culture to compete. l Trust Builders-effectively winning the hearts/minds of an increasingly diverse workforce. Tim Athey l Change Leaders-speaking the truth about what must change and leading from the front. Enterprise Leader The five leadership roles described above define the "what" of executive leadership. To achieve these things, emerging executives must possess the following attributes: l Humble Confidence-a strong sense of self tempered by a keen awareness of blind spots. l Realistic Optimism-keeping a positive and forward-looking attitude despite difficulties. l Systems View-seeing the organization as a unified whole and not a collection of parts. The unique strengths that science, technology and engineering professionals bring to a leadership role far outweigh the potential blind spots. However, the success of these individuals in moving from a traditional management role to a senior leadership position is tied to their ability to let go of many of the things that made them successful technical and engineering managers. Tim Athey, Ph.D., is an executive coach and consultant based in Fort Collins, Colo., who works extensively with engineering firms on strategy, leadership and organizational efforts. He can be reached at tim@timatheyphd.com.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - November/December 2015

Engineering Inc. - November/December 2015
Contents
From ACEC to You
Market Watch
Legislative Action
Traveling Smart
Idustry Drone Use Taking Flight
Back to Life
Economic Power of Employee Engagement
Young Professionals of the Year
Market Driven
2015 Fall Conference
Guest Column
Guest Column
Business Insights
Members in the News
Mergers and Acquisitions

Engineering Inc. - November/December 2015