Managing Engineering & Technical Professionals
I.D. # C0608 Duration 3 Days
In the fast paced and competitive environment of today's global economy, the work of technical professionals is often the difference between success and failure in an organization. Providing leadership for engineers is uniquely challenging, and the transition from working engineer to first-line technical supervisor is one of the most difficult career challenges that an engineer may face. First-time engineering supervisors and mid-level managers who wish to sharpen their skills and learn new techniques for guiding, coaching, and motivating working engineers, technicians, and designers will find this seminar valuable. A mix of lecture and attention-grabbing exercises are used to develop intense and lasting learning results.
Learning Objectives
By attending this seminar, you will be able to:
  • Describe the basic value proposition of management: what managers bring to an organization that makes them worthwhile
  • Avoid the most common errors that supervisors and managers make
  • Describe the evolution of management thought, and utilize the latest proven concepts for improving the performance of people in complex organizations
  • Explain the issues that drive the psychology of effective leadership and develop greater emotional intelligence
  • Implement strategies to enhance your skills in meeting management, coaching, and performance review that are essential in today's professional workplace
Who Should Attend
Engineers and technical professionals who are either recently promoted into a management position, or have some experience as a manager but would like to learn how to become more effective will benefit from attending this workshop. The concepts and skills developed during this interactive experience will be of interest to those involved in product development, manufacturing, service, or quality engineering, and all related technical activities in automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and off-highway industries.
Seminar Content
DAY ONE
  • The Management Perspective - How Managers Earn Their Keep
    • The value proposition of management
    • The "Peter Principle" and how to avoid this trap
    • Understanding the most important errors that managers commonly make - and how to steer clear of major supervisory pitfalls
    • Why people usually struggle to cooperate, and how you can reduce this
  • What You Need to Know about Today's Workforce
    • The evolution of leadership thought, and why recent events have significantly changed effective leadership methods
    • Understanding what leadership is really about
    • Why teamwork and cooperation are necessary in modern corporate structures
    • How you can generate consistent focus and daily commitment among technical and engineering professionals
    • Playing "The Tower Game" - applying focus and commitment
  • The Psychology of Successful Modern Leadership
    • Process centered leadership: getting sustained results
    • Task and relationship balances
    • Why "Output Leadership" is ineffective and counter-productive
    • Different kinds of team models - and which is most effective
    • How to reduce the influence of "bad" politics in an organization through constructive decision making processes
DAY TWO
  • The Psychology of Change
    • Why change is often stressful
    • Five stages of change
    • How to make change exciting and interesting
  • Emotional Intelligence: Building an Effective Leadership Style
    • Why "emotional intelligence" is important - the research results
    • The five elements of emotional leadership
    • How to practice and develop greater emotional intelligence
    • Solving typical meeting problems with emotional intelligence
  • Coaching in Supervision
    • Building trust
    • Coaching roles
    • Improving communication for constructive coaching
  • Using Meeting Time Effectively
    • Five key issues for successful meetings
    • How teamwork breaks down in meetings, and how to correct this
DAY THREE
  • Dealing with Practical Issues
    • Dealing with difficult people
    • Learning how to delegate effectively
  • Basic Negotiation Principles
    • Soft & hard negotiating approaches
    • Win-win negotiation
    • Positions, interests, & goals
  • How to Make Performance Reviews Constructive
    • Legal requirements
    • Style issues
    • 360 reviews
Instructor(s): Eric Timmis
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Eric Timmis is the owner of BusinessIsAContactSport.com, a training and consulting company dedicated to business process improvement, focusing on value and quality management implementation, program/project management training, and the integration of strategic partnership relationships between departments and organizations.

Mr. Timmis has over thirty years of diversified experience across several industries, which includes the delivery of value engineering facilitation services to Ford Motor Co. and its supplier community and training for Eaton Corporation¿s, Product Development Group. He is also a recognized speaker at various national conferences. Eric received a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Birmingham in England and is a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Testimonial
"This class is not just for learning management, but understanding managers as well."
Erik Hakala
Test Engineer
SMR Automotive Systems USA

"This is the best possible way to invest 3 days in making an engineer into a manager."
Steven M. Parrish
Communications Lead Engineer
General Dynamics/Land Systems

"Excellent content for the modern manager."
Michael Todd Mumaw
Supervisor Test Services
Eaton Corporation

"My compliments to the instructor and his ability to provide adaptation of material and critical issues to such a diverse example of positions, age, culture and function. It was above and beyond expectation."
Philip J. Pelchat
Quality Manager
WGI Inc.

"Extremely enlightening. A definite pick for upcoming managers or new managers. Will save a lot of wasted time and broken relationships."
Joseph C. Fusaro, Jr.
Mechanical Engineering Administrator
Davis Aircraft Products Company, Inc.

"Excellent insight into how to lead people, not just manage them."
Chris J. Kleinfeld
Lead Engineer
Tenneco Inc.

"Very informative. The activities which were completed in groups were enjoyable, relevant, and thought provoking."
Peter Berg
Engineering Manager
International Truck & Engine Company

"Excellent course. I would recommend this to any engineer transitioning into more of a supervisory role."
Nate M. Leden
Project Engineer
Hendrickson Truck

"This seminar made me think about how I have done things in the past and how I will do them in the future."
Christof Heisser
President
Magma Foundry Technologies, Inc.

"Recommended for new or soon to be managers."
David Dronzkowski
Staff Engineer
Detroit Diesel Corporation

Fees: $1725 SAE Members*: $1385 - $1555
* The appropriate SAE Member discount will be applied through the Registration process.  Discounts vary according to level of membership: Elite Member 20%; Premium Member 15%; Classic Member 10%
CEU 2