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TIM ATHEY , from page 7

LEADERSHIP FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS – THE LEADERSHIP STEP

get the “right people” in the “right positions” doing the “right things.” 3)People Mobilizer. Build on their demonstrated ability to manage teams and deliver “fact-based” communication to be comfortable with leading “from the front” and communi- cating confidently about the future. Provide opportunities for visibility inside and outside the organization to inspire people, project personal power and confidence, and speak with personal conviction. This role requires the development of executive “presence,” comfort with visibility, effective indi- vidual/group communication skills, and the use of emotional intelligence skills in interacting with a diverse range of people inside and outside the organization. 4)Enterprise Integrator. Help potential managers shift from focusing on “my team, my clients, and my results” to as- suming broader responsibility for working across traditional technical/functional boundaries, identifying and pursuing opportunities for client synergy and cross-selling, and over- coming the “silo mentality” that permeates most firms. Put them in the position of having to lead and integrate multiple, disparate teams to achieve results by leveraging technologies, clients, and staff. This requires skills in systems thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and overcoming resistance to new ways of thinking and acting in the business. 5)Force Multiplier. Build on the demonstrated strength in project management and tactical delivery that these emerging leaders possess to challenge them to become “force multipli- ers” for accelerating business results across the business. Put these people in the position of having to get results with a “team of teams” without formal authority to directly oversee or micromanage the work. This role requires higher level skills in managing competing priorities, making tough decisions, delegation, and establishing a culture of accountability in which expectations for performance are clearly understood. 6)Intentional Leader. The five leadership roles described in this article define the what of making a successful transition to executive leadership as a technical/engineering profession- al or manager. However, individuals with senior leadership potential must also be clear on who they are as individuals, how they define themselves as leaders, and why they believe others should follow them. The need to clear on one’s “intent” as a senior leader is the foundation for personal credibility and the willingness of people to trust. This insight requires self-examination about why you want to be a leader, recogni-

Force Multiplier

Strategic Thinker

Intentional Leader

Enterprise Integrator

Business Architect

People Mobilizer

tion of the blind spots you bring to the job, and clarity on the core values that guide your decisions and actions. Providing the opportunity for self-examination through personal as- sessment and feedback, leadership coaching, and career men- toring is an important avenue for emerging leaders as they ready themselves for the challenges of the future. CONCLUSIONS. The unique strengths that science, technology, and engineering professionals bring to a leadership role far outweigh the potential blind spots. However, the suc- cess of these individuals in moving from a project/program management role to take on a senior leadership position in their firms is tied to their ability to let go of many of the things that made them successful as “managers” and to adopt new ways of thinking and acting as “leaders.” With the accelerating pace of change in the AEC industry and the growing demands placed on the leaders of these firms, the need to accelerate the development of the next generation of leaders is clear. The Leadership STEP framework offers an evidence-based model for developing the key skills that will help these individuals become the industry leaders of the future. TIM ATHEY, PH.D., is president of Transition Leadership in Fort Collins, Colorado. Contact him at tim@timatheyphd.com.

5 OF PROFESS IONAL NETWORK I NG ADVANTAGES New contacts can lead to new business opportunities New contacts can lead to new career opportunities New contacts can lead to new personal opportunities New contacts can help you identify best practices

GOOD PEOPLE , from page 5

issues. But even then, there’s still the risk of “group-think.” “For this reason, I also try to expand my net- work to business professionals outside our industry,” he says. “I like to learn about how they approach internal issues, staff devel- opment, and business pursuits because it may be slightly, or even significantly, differ- ent than us. On the surface it may seem like their methods won’t work in our industry, but some aspects of their approach may actu- ally be very beneficial. For instance, some of our key staff development tools are based on methods used by manufacturing companies. We just adjusted them to fit our company.”

New contacts can help you identify new business and industry trends

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 28, 2015, ISSUE 1121

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