In The Trenches
ones is very valuable.
Ex-engineers as
Managers
For example, one ex-engineer
wrote a design proposal for a complex, real-time data gathering and
analysis computer network. He specified that the software be written in
Basic. He also designed all eight
of the hardware inputs as interrupt
driven.
Because he felt that he was still
an engineer, he thought he could single-handedly create a great product
without input from anyone else. He
was wrong.
The design was accepted and
delivered. And his engineers managed to develop workable software.
However, the product would have
been much better and cheaper if
he had input from those with the
proper expertise from the beginning.
(Every engineer can provide similar
examples.)
The point of this example is not
to disparage the manager. Rather it
shows the necessity for teamwork at
all levels. Engineers, for the most
part, tend to be solitary people. But
the exengineering/manager does not
have that luxury. He must always
involve the appropriate people in
design proposals and he must listen
to what they say. It is critical that the
ex-engineering/manager accept that
he is no longer an engineer but a
manager.
Admittedly, this is a hard thing to
do. But that’s why they pay you the
big bucks.
Often an engineer will be promoted to manage an engineering department. This has its good and bad
points.
Naturally, this manager understands engineers well and can initially
provide useful technical advice.
However, learning proper management skills can be problematical.
Budgets, schedules, personnel interaction, management style — these
can all take quite some time to
develop.
But since engineers like to learn,
most can make the transformation
to management successfully.
There is, however, one large latent
problem.
This is that the manager/
engineer often still feels that he
is an engineer. As we’ve seen, the
half-life of five years means that
after 10 years, the manager possess-es little useful engineering information. There are two basic reasons for
this.
The first, obviously, is that the
manager no longer works as an
engineer.
The second is that few managers will expend the energy needed
to maintain their engineering expertise. This requires considerable time
and effort outside of their current
job. So, most often, their engineering knowledge and experience
languish.
The problem is that they are out
of step with the current engineering
techniques but they still feel that
they are engineers. So, they often
try to solve technical problems
(something the engineering personality likes to do).
Unfortunately, they no longer
possess the tools needed to provide
appropriate solutions. This lack of
self-awareness is the root of the
problem. This results in “solutions”
that are non-optimum or simply
bad.
JULY 2005
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Conclusion
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Engineers are different. Even
they will admit that. This causes a
conflict of cultures between management and the engineers. If you can
recognize this conflict, you will be
able to deal with it.
And, in the process, you will
develop better respect, understanding, and working relations with
everyone involved. If you are a more
effective manager, then your department will be more effective, as well.
And for engineers, we know that
being effective is something they
want, too. NV
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