Introduction Styles of Leadership Leading Activities Deciding Communicating Motivating Selecting Engineering Employees Developing People Summary

Leading in Engineering Management refers to the function of an engineering manager that causes people to take effective action. The measurement of the quality of an EMs leadership is his or her ability to guide and direct the efforts of others to attain organizational objectives.

Leading -Deciding, Communicating, Motivating, Selecting and Developing Deciding -Rational Decision Making, Kepnor-Tregoe Method, Gut Instinct, Group Decisions Communicating - Asking, Telling, Listening and Understanding

Motivating -Inspire, Encourage, Impel Need-based strategy (Maslow Model) Selecting Focus on hard and soft Skills Developing -Performance correction and personal growth Special Topics on Leading - Lead Changes, New Leader Strategy, Superior Leadership

 Autocratic:
Leader makes decisions without reference to anyone else High degree of dependency on the leader Can create de-motivation and alienation of staff May be valuable in some types of business where decisions need to be made quickly and decisively

 Democratic: Encourages decision making from different perspectives leadership may be emphasised throughout the organisation
Consultative: process of consultation before decisions are taken Persuasive: Leader takes decision and seeks to persuade others that the decision is correct

 Democratic:
May help motivation and involvement Workers feel ownership of the firm and its ideas Improves the sharing of ideas and experiences within the business Can delay decision making

 Laissez-Faire:
Let it be the leadership responsibilities are shared by all Can be very useful in businesses where creative ideas are important Can be highly motivational, as people have control over their working life Can make coordination and decision making time-consuming and lacking in overall direction Relies on good team work Relies on good interpersonal relations

 Paternalistic: Leader acts as a father figure Paternalistic leader makes decision but may consult Believes in the need to support staff

There are 5 major styles of leadership that are classified according to the attributes of either a concern for people or an emphasis on tasks.

NICE GUY places too much value on social acceptance while neglecting technical task. THE LOSER does not obtain acceptance from others and does not get the job done. THE COMPROMISER Balances both the needs of people and task factors.

THE TASK MANAGER is interested in getting the job done right without concern for human feelings. THE IDEAL MANAGER Gets the job and at the same time makes everyone happy.

No single style fits all situations A persons dominant style is determined by personality traits Different leadership styles can be effective with different people at different times Advice to engineering managers: Vary style flexibly according to situation at hand in order to be effective

Making decision is a key responsibility of engineering managers.

To arrive at conclusions and judgements To assure that the quality of decisions made remains high

Spontaneous Decisions - Intuitive, hunch or gut instinct based

Reasoned Decisions - Based on systematic studies and logical analyses (to the extend possible): (1) Assess facts and evaluate alternatives, (2) Use full mental resources, (3)Emphasize creative problem-solving, (4)Think consistently, (5) Minimize the probability of errors (downside risks)

Staff Staff and Manager Manager

A RDMP is generally useful in facilitating decision making for numerous problems or issues in engineering when an adequate amount of information is available.

Method is a renowned analysis tool available to support decision.

This method forces decision makers to externalize all necessary criteria and to assign weight factors to all sufficiency criteria before making decision.

Forecasting (exponential smoothing, time series) Regression Analysis (single-variable, multi variables) Risk Analysis (Monte Carlo) What -if Solver Simulation Modelling Decision Trees Optimization (linear programming ,integer/dynamic programming)

Spontaneous Decisions
-Intuitive solution for complex and ambiguous problems defying systematic analyses (No data) Brain Activities - Left-side (logical, rational and conscious) versus right-side (intuitive, subconscious); Innovative ideas surface unexpectedly, due to accumulated patterns and rules derived from past experience

Intuitive decisions can be wrong from time to time, feedback from trusted sources is needed to recalibrate patterns and rules frequently If repeated, feedback-based learning tends to improve quality of intuitive decisions made in the future

Engineering managers may also elect to make decisions by using the inputs generated by teams.

Group dynamics Conflict, consideration, closure Criteria for good group decisions

Group dynamics -New dimensions to decision making: (1) Coalitions/alliances among team members position-based advocacy, (2) Conflicts of interests, (3)Personality clash (fighting words, selective seeing, interruptions, personal friction) Leadership Role : (1) Managing conflict,(2) Consideration and (3) Closure

The purpose of communicating is to create understanding and acceptance of the facts, impressions and feeling being communicated.

Asking open-ended insightful questions to gain knowledge and to improve understanding of the situation at hand
Quality of questions is a clear indication of the questioners grasp of the situation at hand

Offer information to keep people (peers,employees, bosses, supply chain partners,customers) informed about matters of concern tothem Judgement is needed as to what to tell and what not(Need to Know paradigm), seek balance between(1) trust-creation and no surprise versus (2) control over information

Remain focused in listening to the subtext and true meaning of the exchange Maintain eye contact Exercise self-discipline to control own urge to talk and avoid interrupting others

To hear by the head and to feel by the heart Assess the degree of sincerity verbal intonation, facial expression, body language Recognize shared meaning (emotional and logical)

Interpretation of Semantics (words/terms may have multiple meanings) Selective Seeing -See only what one wants to see Selective Listening -Hear only what one wants to hear (screen out ideas divergent to own opinion or selfinterest) Emotional Barriers (strong attitude and feelings, personal biases)

To motivate is to apply a force that excites and drives an individual to act, in ways preferred by the manager/leader.

PARTICIPATION COMMUNICATION RECOGNITION DELEGATE AUTHORITY RECIPROCATE INTEREST

The long-term success of an engineering organization depends on the abilities and the effectual use of these abilities.

By selecting people, managers gain staff with right skills, dedication, value systems, personality, and win their loyalty over time Associate themselves with the right mentors and leaders

Define needs Define qualifications Get applicants Review and pre-screen applicants Conduct interviews - Asking good questions Decide on job candidates

Managers are not trained to assess soft skills- major sources of job-related problems and key factors for career failures Candidates are polished to Talk the talk and walk the walk, masking their true long-term personal behavior Selecting people remains a major challenge to all managers

Developing employees is another important activity of the managerial leader. The objective of developing employees is to shape their knowledge, attitudes, and skills to enhance their contribution to the company and to foster their personal growth.

Purpose: To improve knowledge, attitude and skills of employees Knowledge : Cognizance of facts, truths and other information Attitude : Customary dispositions toward people, things, situations and information Skills : Ability to perform specialized work with recognized competence

(1) Maintain absolute integrity (2) Be Knowledgeable (3) Declare expectations (4) Show uncommon commitment (5) Get out in front (6) Expect Positive results (7) Take care of people (8) Put duty before self-interests

Engineering Managers should pay attention to:

(1)Making decisions under uncertainty (not suffering from paralysis by analysis), (2)Motivating other engineers with proper motivators, (3)Communicating by proactive asking and intensive listening, (4)Selecting to focus on soft skills, (5)Developing people using personal examples.