The ASCE News Civil Engineering Roundtable showcases insights from a cross-section of ASCE members on a variety of industry topics.
Today’s roundtable draws from a recent ASCE Thursdays@3 webinar conversation, discussing the different ways the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the importance of civil engineering leadership skills.
Question: Why are leadership skills more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Andrea DuMont
P.E., M.ASCE
Water resources engineer, Jacobs; industry blogger
“When...
I do a lot of speaking and training on networking and relationship-building for civil engineering professionals. One of the points I teach on is allowing the other person you are conversing with to finish their sentences completely. Most people don’t do this. We tend to cut other people off or speak over them.
That inevitably brings up the question, “What if I am speaking to...
Building your career often comes with a variety of challenges. Whether it’s transitioning to a new position or staying on top of the latest industry trends, navigating your career path is not always a straight road.
Finding your footing can be especially difficult in an ever-changing profession. The breadth of required knowledge is constantly expanding. And the next generation will have to know far more...
Franklin Sherkow, P.E., ENV SP, is an ASCE Fellow and Life Member, and former president of ASCE’s Oregon Section. He was on the civil engineering faculty at Oregon State University for six years before returning to consulting. In today’s Member Voices, he examines the notion of natural challenges for civil engineers when it comes to leadership and communication skills.
What if people with certain traits...
In a moment now sadly rich in irony, University of Washington professor Kate Simonen attended a carbon neutral conference in Los Angeles this past March and thought to herself, “I don’t want to travel this much anymore.”
The COVID-19 pandemic was still mostly impending in the United States. But for Simonen, it wasn’t even the pandemic concerns.
“I was reflecting on my health, the time away...
The pressures from one’s career and personal life can be difficult to cope with. So, finding the perfect work-life balance is crucial to having a healthy life and satisfying work environment.
However, new studies show that professionals should aim for work-life alignment, not balance. Work and life should not be two separate entities. Instead, life is the big picture, and work should be a part...
In a recent session of our people skills course for engineers, I received the following question from one of our participants and thought was perfect for this column:
Do you have some advice on how to present ideas as a young engineer to those who are older and more experienced? I sometimes notice ideas get dismissed or given less weight just for the mere fact...
“A team is only as strong as its weakest link.”
It’s a statement we’ve all heard before. But it’s something that rings true, especially in the civil engineering industry.
Individuals have their own set of talents and skills that they bring to the table. In the end, though, it’s teamwork that is at the heart of any operation. It not only cultivates a healthy work environment,...
