Are you an engineer?

By David Alev . . .

Some of you are nodding, some are shaking your heads, some are asking "Why does he want to know?" I'll tell you.

I love engineers. Some of my best friends are engineers. There is nothing wrong with engineers. Other than a few handicaps that engineers are born with or acquire along the way.

Engineers are smart, thorough, down to earth, have strong problem solving skills and do not tolerate ambiguity.

We're all engineers

Since you've made it so far on this site, you are in some way involved in Information Technology. You either use it, develop it, sell it, teach it, etc. You have learned how to make machines work, how to build and use interfaces and how to use IT to generate benefits for your clients.

It took us time to master the intricacies of smart devices and complicated tools. We have learned their language, we understand their responses, we know how to attack a problem and solve it the most effective way.

So, we're all engineers.

"But I'm not an engineer"

You may not have a degree in engineering. You may have one in Information Sciences or Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy or any one of the physical sciences. Or you may have a background in music. (They make some of the best IT professionals.)

You may have a liberal arts, business or finance background, and "found yourself" in I.T. Sure, it was the excitement or the high pay that attracted you. Or was it that geek you fell in love with? You wouldn't be in I.T. now if you didn't have the mindset and the skills to be in it.

You may be a CPA, an HR systems specialist, a logistics expert or a Master Scheduler. Aren't you "engineering" creative information technology solutions for your clients?

We're all engineers.

Engineering handicap

All those attributes that make "engineers" so smart get in the way of relating to creatures who (1) do not have the same values you do, (2) do not speak the same language, and (3) do not have the same concerns we do.

No I'm not talking about your pets or your distant cousins. Your clients. They do not have the same attention to detail that you do, do not appreciate "elegant" solutions over one that "just works", they do not respond in the same language as a Unix system does. And you thought Unix was cryptic. (see Why are they the way they are?)

Clients? They're every person with a pulse you're trying to satisfy with your work. They could be paying clients (as in a consulting project) or your project manager or those "users" we are so fond of.

Are you at a disadvantage?

You could be. If you have found yourself frustrated by indecisive clients, demanding clients, uninvolved users, incomplete answers or delayed responses and you wished you were at a different project, think again. Could it be you? You dread going to meetings. You dread making presentations. What should you do about it?

If you learned how to communicate on their terms (what, new syntax? you say), interpret their signals, find ways to influence them so they reach your conclusions, wouldn't your life be easier? It would.

You are NOT alone!

Engineers of the world, Unite! You have nothing to lose but your fears and frustrations. Here in the Consulting Academy, you will find ways you can expand all your hidden talent and learn new techniques you can use right away. Imagine, you can be master of your machines and your own work at the same time.

Read some articles, come back often. There will be more "stuff" on a regular basis.

Sincerely,

David Alev, BSEE! :-)

P.S. Please do not confuse this with Dilbert-style sarcasm and despair. While Scott tries to find humor in situations (and he does it so well - have you the seen the Dilbert zone web site?), we are going to try to go beyond the humor. We will find SOLUTIONS.

Copyright © 1999, 2000 Brazos Consulting. You may reprint or distribute this document as long as it has not been modified and proper credit is given to Brazos Consulting and The Consulting Academy. Web links are permitted only in a "new window".