What is the best engineering advice you ever received? 205

[tulum]

I would like to continue engineerdaves series of threads; what frustrates you at work, and what satisfies you at work...

I just finished reading one of Donald Trumps books entitled "the way to the top". What he did was he asked the top executives across the US to submit the one single most important thing they learned to help them achieve businees success.

For example one qoute was (and is very applicable to engineering):

"Although you can't always control where you are planted-to which department or specific project you are assigned-you can control the experience while you are there...bloom where you are planted."

So my question to the forum is: What is the best engineering advice you ever received?

 

[HgTX]

GGOSS: I'm with you on A, B, and D--A and B as words of warning, D as pretty good advice. But I don't understand C. Can you elaborate?

Hg

 

[TerryScan]

Things never go as planned, so plan accordingly.

 

[GGOSS]

Hello HgTX,

'C' is really and extension of 'B' but it also implies that if you don't buy in to the office politics and/or corporate decision making processes and simply do as you are asked (be a worker), then life in general will be more pleasant.

Regards,
GGOSS

 

[Sparweb]

For an ant, maybe, but other people like to take charge of their own professional destiny!

Steven Fahey, CET
"Simplicate, and add more lightness" - Bill Stout

 

[GGOSS]

SparWeb,

I don't discount what you have said at all, but not everyone wants to be a Manager and many of those who do, don't fully appreciate what it means to be one, particularly in a larger organisation.

I have been in a Management role for more almost 20 years and have been Senior Manager for the last 8 of those. What stands out most from that experience is that 'there are no guarantees'......even if at some stage they had been put to you in writing.

I have seen numerous people bust their gut on a promise of promotion/career advancement within the company they love only to find that their Manager moves on or there is a corporate restructure....and everything promised to them earlier goes flying out the window. I have also seen cases where these very same people were presented with 'real' external opportunities and passed those up because of a promise of what might become. And guess what, it never became.

Lets face it, we often think we are in control of our own destinies but in reality we are in control of nothing more than our own emotions. We cannot control corpotate take-overs, we cannot stop those who have made promises to us not to take up external opportunities, we cannot control who the replacement Manager might be and wheteher or not he/she agrees with our thinking or even that of the previous Manager.

So my advice for those of you who are career/advancement oriented is; if you truly want to be in control of your destiny then take up external opportunities as the arise. They are real and available to you with no ifs or buts attached. You may find the grass is not greener on the other side, but at least you have put yourself first and given it a go. DO NOT hang around just because someone has promised you that something will happen at some time in the future. It rarely does!

Regards,
GGOSS

 

[jmw]

Amen.

JMW

http://www.viscoanalyser.com

Eng-Tips: Pro bono publico, by engineers, for engineers.

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[Standing]

GGOSS is absolutely right on target. I do not see anyone staying at companies for 30 years anymore, although I am sure there are a few. The company I work for has an unwritten policy not to counter offer anyone who leaves for more money. We have lost several good people in the past for a dollar an hour.
My advise is to take GGOSS’s advice.


Bradley

 

[HgTX]

GGOSS, one shouldn't rely on promises of career advancement, but your approach ensures that if an opportunity does come along, the person following your advice wouldn't be able to take it.

I'm not just talking management, either. Your job can be what you make of it. Job descriptions have a lot of wiggle room and can even be adjusted. If you have ZERO control over what you can do day after day, it's time to look for another job. Unless you're an ant.

Even in stupid teenage summer jobs, I've found ways to make my job more interesting than the job description says it should be. Yeah, maybe they're getting more out of me than they're paying for, but it beats being bored--and in my current job, with all the financial troubles my government employer is having, I'm still getting merit raises, while my co-worker who shares your attitude hasn't seen a raise in years. Doing no more than what your job description and your boss say you have to do ensures that you'll never be offered a better job, and you'll get lousy references from your current employer if you look for a new one. It also means you'll be the first one out the door in a downsizing.

Terrible advice.

Hg

 

[melone]

I don't think that GGOSS ever said that you shouldn't give 110%. I interpretted his/her statements to mean that you shouldn't pass up opportunities based on a naive concept that people will always come through on their promises. Many managers will promise more than they could ever deliver.

Don't get me wrong, I would go out on a limb and suggest that most of these managers that promise the world have every intention of delivering on their promises, but circumstances outside of their control prevent it (economics etc.).

Therefore, I would have to say that GGOSS gave disheartening, yet fairly realistic, and sound advice.

 

[HgTX]

I'm good with "DO NOT hang around just because someone has promised you that something will happen at some time in the future." Absolutely. Excellent advice, and not even that disheartening to me.

I'm not good with "simply do as you are asked, then life will be more pleasant". That's not a plan, it's a symptom.

Hg

 

[GGOSS]

HgTX,

The comment 'simply do as you are asked, and life will be more pleasant' is intended for those do not have an aspirations of climbing the corporate ladder.

There are many in fall into that category who also buy into company politics and/or business strategy. Unfortunately every time they do (and please understand this is a generalisation) they stick their necks further onto the chopping block.

There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that these very same people have the company's best interest at heart, almost always placing the company's well being ahead of their own. Unfortunately however their Managers don't see it that way, rather they see someone who is continually challenging decisions and upsetting the team.

Tell me please, are you aware of any team that can actually outperform a team of ants? Might this give some clues as to what Senior Management expect from their team members?

Regards,
GGOSS

 

[GGOSS]

PS: In defence of HgTX, I think I could have explained myself a little bit better earleir in the piece.

HgTX, I think we are both saying the same thing but coming at it from two different angles. My definition of a 'worker' is someone who is prepared to;

Go the extra mile.
Show initiative.
Complete tasks ahead of schedule (where possible).
Present alternative solutions.
Assist team members who may be struggling etc etc.

I think most do that not for financial gains but because they want to contribute in a positive way. In recognition they may get the odd pat on the back from their superiors and/or see an increase in their hourly rate at the next salary review, but things are not necessarily their key motivators.

The point I was trying to make is that those people (who want to be workers) would be viewed even more favourably if they did not buy into the corporate decision making processes, company politics, the rumour file etc etc etc.

Regards,
GGOSS

 

[HgTX]

Now *that* I can go along with. I guess I've (and haven't we all?) just seen too many people who'd probably call themselves "workers" but who are more like "existers".

You go, GGOSS!

Hg

 

[Sparweb]

GGOSS, HgTX,

I seem to have really got you going when I didn't mean to. Engineers are professionals, which means that we can assume many roles, according to our abilities and interests. Any engineer could become an analyst, designer, team leader, manager, inventor, entrepreneur, consultant, or burger-flipper. Pick whatever level that suits you, and go for it.


Steven Fahey, CET
"Simplicate, and add more lightness" - Bill Stout

 

[GGOSS]

Hello HgTX,

I refer to those as being 'free-loaders'. What erks me most about them is that they are depriving someone (who truly wants to contribute and is possibly more capable) of a job.

I do not refer to those guys as ants, because Ants;

Are team players.
Show initiative.
Work for their existance.

Regards,
GGOSS

 

[NickelMet]

Amen brothers and sisters... GREAT POST!

My short career has brought many things to light, but here are some things that I try to pass on to the techs, co-ops, etc. that have worked with me:

Work: "There is no box that can contain the universe. So what small part do you want to work in first?"

Stress: "Sh!! happens. Solve the problem and move along."

Research: "Don't get lost in the data."

Experience: "Never forget about those that work the trenches."

Observing: "A fresh set of eyes on a subject should always be welcome."

Questions: "The only stupid questions are those that are not asked."

Ethics: "Never compromise your ethics and morals. Stand up for what you know is right."

Poltics: "Office politics exist, don't delude yourself, you will become involved."

Life: "Don't confuse your career with your life."

I'll leave with this: Dilbert lives in each of us, Murphy is a close relative, and laughter IS the best medicine.

Stay real everyone.

~NiM


"When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that individual is crazy." ~Dave Barry

 

[Higgler]

"It works the way you build it",
Build it wrong and it'll work wrong.
(Assumes accuracy in testing).

"All failures are mechanical"

kch
antenna engineer

 

[johnchrc]

Give 110%...
Don't worry about things you have no control over...
Change what you do have control over...

This will at least ensure yourself of the best possible outcome and no regrets. Most of the time, the worm will turn if you follow these simple suggestions.

Also, Don't get caught on the drugs rollercoaster. That will f#k your life up in no time. If you are drinking or using, get help before your company figures out you need it. They will be glad to help you out. If you wait until they test you, it's too late.

 

[jmw]

Johnchrc,
the advice not to worry about things you have no control over would appear to be a paraphrase of St Francis (or someone) and is missing an important rider: the wisdom to know the difference.

JMW

http://www.viscoanalyser.com

Eng-Tips: Pro bono publico, by engineers, for engineers.

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[jims99]

Always QUALIFY your designs by one or more methods:
1. By analysis (calculations, theory)
2. By experimentation (bench tests, stress test, subject it worst case)
3. By similarity