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                                                                                                                Summer Leadership Newsletter 2015

                                       ​Facts, figures, and trends affecting the engineering and design industry with management, leadership, and Board work issues.


Engineering and Design Industry-

“Design-Build Reform Moves Forward” by Engineering Inc. May-June 2015

Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) has introduced H.R. 1666 the “Design-Build Efficiency and Jobs Act of 2015”. ACEC backs this bill and worked in collaboration with the AGC and AIA in the review of the language. The bill is aimed at the following changes-


  • Limit the number of finalist in a two-phase design-build proposal to five companies

  • Limit the overall use of the one-step design-build proposal in both the military and civilian construction projects

  • Limit the use of the single-step design-build proposal to just small projects


These changes seek to address concerns over the high cost of competing with design-build projects. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) is expected to introduce comparison legislation in the Senate.

Management-

“The Two Big Communication Questions” by Wayne Turmel

Communication is more than merely a data transfer. It’s actually a complicated process with lots of moving parts. To be a great communicator you have to start off by asking yourself two basic questions:

Why am I communicating?-


  • Get the information we need to take action

  • Pass on important information to others

  • Get buy-in from others

  • Persuade them to do something

  • Learn what others are thinking


What do I want the outcome to be?-


  • Action I want them to take

  • Do I want buy-in or simply compliance

  • Implications to my relationship with the other people

  • Am I giving them enough information, or too much


Leadership-

“12 Differences Between Winning and Losing Leadership” by James M. Kerr


  • Winners have a vision and communicate it- Losers have no vision with few goals

  • Winners lead by example- Losers tell, don’t do, and evade responsibility

  • Winners possess an outside-in perspective- Losers resist change

  • Winners never spin the facts- Losers lie

  • Winners exhibit trust in their people- Losers demand that work be done their way

  • Winners address conflict before it festers- Losers enjoy playing mind games

  • Winners manage tough personalities- Losers have tough personalities and are disruptive

  • Winners focus on results- Losers fail to set or meet goals

  • Winners promote work-life balance- Losers drive their teams to the point of no return

  • Winners stimulate collaboration- Losers remain aloof and mysterious

  • Winners explore the integration of contrasting concepts- Losers promote risk avoidance

  • Winners share the wealth- Losers steal the credit whenever they can


Board Work-

“Board Assessment: Designing the Process” by Beverly Behan

With Board self-assessment and evaluation becoming a fact of corporate life, the actual mechanics of effective assessment are a growing concern. What are the most common techniques? How do you design the process? How can you assure that assessment becomes a useful self-improvement tool rather than just a governance exercise? Things to consider:


  • Assessment is one of the most powerful interventions available for turning a good Board into a great Board

  • Using internal staff to conduct your assessment is less expensive, but a third party can bring greater expertise, and is seen as more candid and objective

  • Critical thinking is heightened if Board members are together when asked questions, hearing opinions and questioning each other

  • Boards tend to be made up of people at the height of their professions who are not used to getting performance reviews. Anxiety, defensiveness and fear can get in the way

  • Committee members can best observe how well their own committees function, but feedback from the full Board is useful


Because of the sensitive nature, design and implementation of Director peer reviews warrant even more care than other aspects of Board assessment

Thought of the Day-

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

Contact Us For Your Corporate Consulting and Executive Coaching Needs-
Leading the Way, LLC
P.O. Box 79373
Charlotte, North Carolina 28211

704-905-0648

leadingthewayllc.com