14 June 2007

Engineers can be leaders

By Jim Pinto

As a rule, engineers do not want to be managers or leaders because they recognize that leadership involves many things beyond technical details. They feel they should stick with what they know rather than branch off into the grey goop of people interface. However, especially in engineering companies, engineers who advance to executive leadership can make a big difference.

Did you know very few company chief executives are engineers? Even in technology companies, the top gun is typically a marketing person, followed (in order of probability) by finance, then sales, then operations (manufacturing), and then engineering. I am an engineer, so I feel I can discuss these things frankly and directly, for and about engineers.

Engineering has an image problem. Surveys show the public is not aware of what engineers do, beyond being involved in construction of machines and buildings. Most people tend to think of engineering as being a job concerned with objects and gadgets rather than people. You know what, those ideas start with engineers themselves. That is their self-image.

There are virtually no engineers in politics. Somehow, engineers feel that cannot have any big impact, and so they shun the political scene. And so, even in this technology driven age, important things like science, energy, and education go to lawyers who dominate the political scene.

Early in my career as an engineer, I was as frustrated at the lack of leadership around me. Most people seemed happy to be part of success, but did not take responsibility when things went wrong. Then I realized, directly or indirectly, I was part of the problem. Instead of kicking back to blame others, I started to find ways to become part of the solution. I started taking responsibility (another word for blame) and got promoted. I discovered the truism, “I looked for a leader, and found myself!”

Engineering is a detail-orientated job. The design of products, especially those manufactured in high volume, entails a host of details that must be integrated. And so, engineers are usually narrowly focused, trusting in the old adage, “Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door!”

The truth is the best mousetrap does not sell itself. It has to be designed for volume production, produced in volume, at good margins, marketed to the public so everyone knows it is available, distributed to every possible sales outlet, returns collected, and a healthy profit generated. Make sure all those other things are done, and you are a good engineer.

If you are a technician, or engineer, and want to move ahead in your management career, you need to be constantly re-educating yourself in other disciplines. Keep moving to make sure you re-invent yourself on a daily basis. Start digging into details that go beyond engineering. If you are proud of the product you developed, find out what else it takes to make it successful. Dig deeper into what I call “total concept engineering.”

Related links:

• IEEE – Leadership…or Something Like It:
  http://www.todaysengineer.org/2003/Sep/leadership.asp
• The Art of Engineering Leadership:
  http://www.automation.com/sitepages/pid1649.php
• The Action Instruments story. Interview with Jim Pinto:
  http://jimpinto.com/writings/interview.html

Behind the byline

Jim Pinto is an industry analyst and founder of Action Instruments. You can e-mail him at jim@jimpinto.com or view his writings at www.JimPinto.com. Read the Table of Contents of his book, Pinto’s Points, at www.jimpinto.com/writings/points.html.