People (Soft) Skills for Success in the Real

Business World!

Being a Leader!Don C. Bramlett, PE, SMIEEE

IEEE Region 4 Director 2009-2010IEEE Southeastern Michigan Section

DTE Energy– Project Engineer

Reference Resource“Stuff You Don’t Learn in

Engineering School”By Carl SelingerJohn Wiley & Sons, IncIEEE Press 2004

Good Basic Life Lessons• You are responsible for yourself• What you don’t know may hurt you, or hold

you back• Don’t be afraid of something. Learn about it!• Build on your strengths; target weaknesses• Develop important soft skills• Technical competency is the core of your

career in engineering!

Definition of LeadershipLeadership is the ability to influence

others, with or without authority.All successful endeavors are the result of

human effort; thus, the ability to influence others is a derivation of

• Interpersonal Communications• Conflict Management• Problem Solving / Decision Making

Interpersonal EffectivenessInterpersonal effectiveness is the

capability of an individual to do this, influence others, competently.

Leadership is a direct function of three elements of interpersonal effectiveness

• Awareness• Ability• Commitment

Understanding Yourself and Others

• Understand yourself better and how to relate to others:– Take a Myers-Briggs Indicators test– What do you like to do?– What don’t you like to do?– What about others? (Ask them!)

• Be assertive; not passive or aggressive• Updated Golden Rule: “Do unto others as they

would have done unto themselves”• Determine your mix among career objectives:

money, job security, challenging job, recognition, etc.

Working Effectively as a Team

• Working through and with people• Thinking “we”, not “I”• Getting the Team to work together by:– Giving the team the big picture– Dividing work fairly– Assigning responsibility to achieve

accountability– Giving recognition

Interpersonal CommunicationsHow to Write Better

• Use clear, simple, direct language• Minimize use of acronyms• Read more, to see good writing and

improve vocabulary• Ask peers to review your writing• Mentally pretend you’re talking to

someone, and write that!

Interpersonal Communications

Essentials of Public Speaking• You can do it!

• Know your subject• Know your audience – expectations• Practice, Practice, Practice• Never just read• Speak slowly, clearly and loud enough• Be sincere and enthusiastic• Keep to time

Interpersonal CommunicationsKeys to Listening

• Listening is not just “hearing” the other• Avoid distractions & make eye contact• Concentrate on the person’s ideas &

thoughts, not just facts• Reassure the person that you are

paying attention: ask questions• Confirm that you’ve understood

Conflict ManagementTips to Negotiating

• You negotiate everyday!• Identify your needs & the other’s needs• Conflict Styles: Avoiding, Competing,

Accommodating, Compromising, and Collaborating

• Aim for a “win/win solution, if possible

Keys to Problem Solving and Decision Making

• Determine the root cause of a problem• Determine what has to be decided• Identify options, choices & alternatives• What information is needed; what

criteria will be used to evaluate• Make a decision; be decisive

Dealing with Ethical Issues• Something that doesn’t feel right, may be

unethical• Unethical is not the same as illegal• Values vary greatly by culture• Speak up and follow your instincts• Talk to peers and mentors• Read ethics “case studies” and columns in

professional-society and other magazines

The EndHave FUN in your Career !!!