Every Time You Say These 10 Words to Yourself You Are Killing Your Productivity
“It will be quicker if I just do it myself.” Have you ever said this to yourself? These 10 seemingly innocuous words have come back to haunt many engineering managers (and their firms). Most professionals today approach work in a very reactive manner. A task or request comes across their desk and they jump on it, […]
The Power of Culture: Why It Trumps Strategy Every Day
Image from Freepik Image by prostooleh on Freepik In this article, I’d like to discuss the importance of building and maintaining the right culture in your firm. It’s the most important thing you can do. This is a column I send to engineering executives, learning, and HR professionals, on or about the first day of […]
How to Effectively Budget for QA/QC Review – Ep 023
In this episode, host Brian Wagner, P.E. talks with Anthony Fasano, P.E., founder of The Engineering Management Institute, about how to effectively budget for QA/QC review, both from a time and monetary perspective. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Anthony: In which part of a project budget should quality control and […]
How Engineering Companies Can Facilitate the Transition from Engineer to Manager
Image by creativeart on Freepik Image by de luis_molinero on Freepik Engineering companies are great at developing engineers. But what about the often natural transition of an engineer to an engineering manager? How can the organization help the engineer transition from the technical aspects of engineering to the soft aspects of management: the overall management […]
Don’t Commit This Cardinal Sin of Delegation Like I Almost Did (Until My Son Helped Me Avoid It)
Image by luis_molinero on Freepik I had a long day of coaching, training, and podcasting and I was looking forward to unwinding at home that evening, believe it or not, by getting out and doing some yard work. Immediately after dinner, I told my wife and three kids, “I am going outside to mow the […]
Engineers Leave Companies When Their Career Paths Are Unclear
Hiring and training new employees is one of your biggest expenses, and it is costing you a lot more than money. In this post, I would like to provide strategies for improving your firm’s retention rate, regardless of how good (or bad) it may be. The Cost to Replace a Highly Trained Employee Can Exceed 200% of […]
How to Hold Your Project Managers Accountable (And Why It Matters) – Ep 005
In this episode, I talk about how you can hold your project managers accountable and why it matters by providing you with three specific steps you can start implementing right away. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About How to Hold Your Project Managers Accountable: The reason that holding project […]
How Can You Show Your Company That You’re Ready to Be an Engineering Manager?
Image by pressfoto on Freepik I received this question recently from a young engineer, and it’s one that many young engineers struggle with. They feel like they are ready to move into an engineering manager position, whether that be managing projects or people, but they don’t know how to show their companies they are […]
A Message from Pearl Jam: Before You Become an Engineering Manager, Understand What Comes Along with the Title
“All the things that others want for me, can’t buy what I want because it’s free.” This a line from a song entitled “Corduroy” by the popular band Pearl Jam, led by famous vocalist Eddie Vedder. There has been much debate about the meaning of the song, but interviews with Vedder, as well as the lyrics, suggest […]
The Engineering Management Skills Trilogy: Using the Theory of Constraints
Do you have engineering managers in your firm who are more effective than others? Every engineering company does. However, most companies are trying to “improve” them, but with no success. Why? They are not considering the Theory of Constraints. In this article, I will share how this theory can help you in all aspects of your company and […]