Hey, it’s Collin. Welcome to Engineering Echelons, a newsletter full of ideas and insights to help engineers excel at management.
Here’s what I’ve got for you this week.
New and noteworthy news
A management perspective to consider
Leadership insights to delve into
And more…
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Alright, let’s get into it.
Noteworthy Headlines
AI exclusions won’t soon be popping up in designer liability insurance policies (ENR)
Highlights:
According to insurers and brokers of liability policies for design and contractor professionals, policy exclusions around the use of generative AI in professional services have not been widely implemented, although there is much talk about it
Inflation rose to 3.7% in September, hotter than expected (WSJ)
Highlights:
Inflation picked up in September, a sign that high energy prices are tightening their squeeze on consumers ahead of next month’s midterm elections.
Gasoline prices rose 9.1% from the prior month, and are up 34% over the past year.
3 economic factors determining construction’s winners and losers (Construction Dive)
Highlights:
The industry has become more extreme: parts of the economy that were doing well are doing even better now; parts of the economy that were challenged are even more challenged now.
Projects valued at >$1B have been consuming the bulk of cash spent on nonresidential construction this year.
ABC estimates 1 in 6 firms are working on data centers, the highest proportion on record.
Partner Message
For leaders, the team owns your calendar. The early workout belongs to you.
Time spent exercising is a break from Slack and email, and it’s often when the hard problems get solved.
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The MLT Jersey is the world’s first cycling jersey-shirt hybrid. Its patent-pending magnetic pockets open with one hand, and built-in compression keeps your gear from shifting. The fabric breathes, doesn’t wrinkle, and goes in the washing machine. It looks like a shirt you’d wear into the office, because you can.
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*Partners may compensate Engineering Echelons and/or its contributor(s) for sharing their message(s).
Management Perspective
As a manager, you evaluate your team’s work.
Your team evaluates yours too.
They have to. Your decisions directly impact their workload, the quality of their projects, and potentially significant portions of their career.
If they don’t think you’re worthy of leading them, they’ll disengage, transfer, or leave.
So how do you earn it?
Be honest about what you don’t know
Own your mistakes quickly
Keep your commitments
Shield your team from noise, not reality
Give feedback that helps
Think strategically
Connect daily tactics to the larger strategy
Communicate the vision
Know when and how to go to bat for your team
Keep a cool head
Management Insights
Peter Thiel (entrepreneur and investor) on the importance of sales and distribution:
“Superior sales and distribution by itself can create a monopoly, even with no product differentiation. The converse is not true. No matter how strong your product—even if it easily fits into already established habits and anybody who tries it likes it immediately—you must still support it with a strong distribution plan.”
—
Peyton Manning (former NFL quarterback) on observation:
“If you really want to be a game changer, become a master observer. Just the willingness to stop and look at things that no one else has even bothered to look at enables game changers to identify real points of meaning.”
—
Isaac Asimov (author) on knowledge and wisdom:
“Science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.”
Management Resource
The dot and the swarm (One Useful Thing)
Interesting article that explores the potential uses of AI in organizations, and the nonlinear effects it may have on management and the workforce.
Get in Touch
Did something strike a chord? Tell me about it.
Or…
Let me know if you’ve found something worth sharing.
Let me know what challenges you’re having as a manager.
Let me know what challenges you see other managers having.
Send me an email at [email protected]
Looking forward to hearing from you. See you next time.
Collin
Engineering Echelons is a brand of Echelons, LLC
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