We’ve all been in the middle of a project, juggling deadlines, dealing with client comments, resolving redlines, and trying to keep everything moving forward, the last thing on your mind is teaching. In the heat of that, it’s easy to get frustrated. Maybe a coworker doesn’t seem to understand how something works. Perhaps you feel […]
What do your clients really buy from you? As engineers, we often believe we are selling knowledge, experience, or creativity. We attend meetings, offer guidance, and answer questions, and it feels like these conversations are the value we provide. But the truth is, clients do not leave the table holding our ideas or our explanations.
The strength of a masonry wall depends on various factors, including the type of masonry material used (e.g., brick, concrete block, stone), the quality of the construction, and design considerations. Generally, a well-constructed masonry wall can resist the highest load and stress. Mortar is the material that holds the individual masonry units together. In an
I believe everyone experiences some level of Imposter Syndrome at several different points in their careers. It could be just a feeling of being out of place. Maybe it’s a delegated task that you feel you have no business being involved in or being offered a promotion simply because of your actions. Both of these
Clients come in all shapes and sizes. Some clients are “difficult” while others make you say, “I wish all of our clients were like you.” Unfortunately, we remember the difficult ones because of the challenges they presented, whether it was their unreasonable ‘center of the world’ demands or the general stress they caused us. For
The ultimate purpose of both Quality Management Programs and Quality Control Systems is essentially to provide risk management. Producing consistent quality work to established minimum standards serves to assist leadership in maintaining a standard of care to reduce risk to the Company and the Client. Properly administered and led, it is a great way to
6 steps of a Project Debriefing The 6 steps of a Project Debrief are purposefully designed to help the team members share their experiences, challenges, and emotions. Through factual discussion and the sharing of different perspectives, the program is intended to identify and resolve issues while recognizing and acknowledging successes. A willingness to adapt and
Often the terminology of engineering professionals can be highly technical and confusing. The use of terms like “Quality Assurance” and “Quality Control” is not overly technical. However, misuse can lead to serious impacts on efficient communication and the conveyance of expectations. Clarifying the terms you use is important both in-house and in your relationship with
Span of Control is a concept that I learned in my emergency services training both in the fire service and law enforcement corrections. Yet this topic is not something I read or hear about often, if ever, in the engineering community. The idea behind this concept is based on how many people a leader can
I was concerned about where the civil engineering industry was in March 2020 as shutdowns and emergency directives from the government sought to limit the spread of COVID-19. My mind reverted to the housing bubble pop of 2008. I remember the lack of development engineering work that was experienced, lasting well after the initial collapse.
