Hopefully, this post will be the first of many entries that suggest ways to supercharge your career. Step one: network. I’ve been using some of the connections that I made during the annual conference to gather these tips. Among them, the Committee on Leadership and Management has promised to provide some of its own career building resources. More on that to come.

Today’s post is based on the presentation given by Solange Dao at the Younger Member Leadership Symposium, held after the annual conference in Kansas City. She has some strong messages to engineers. First, wake up, get excited and start having fun. Your brain is wired to perform better when you’re active. Solange had many suggestions for using your brain better to improve your memory, influence people, avoid bad decisions and become more creative. Let’s start with improving memory and influencing people.

Things you can see are easier to remember. Try forming a detailed mental image, the crazier the better, to remember new words or names. We practiced this to improve our vocabulary. Do you know what inviolable means? Look for images in the word that you can remember, like “in” and “viola.” That’s a stringed instrument similar to a violin. If you were tiny and scared, would you feel safe by climbing into your viola? Sure, that’s because inviolable means “protected from danger.” Try a similar experiment with other words: nadir, foment, assiduous, etc. I bet you won’t forget their meaning.

Growing your vocabulary is a good start toward being better able to articulate your ideas. That’s important when you want to influence people, but not all approaches are effective. Ever notice how the conservative and liberal talking heads on cable news can never change each other’s opinions. They’re not practicing good influencing techniques.

People naturally resist change. In your argument, answer the questions, “is it worth it? Can I do it? Sure, but you go first. The next step is to show that you or others have made the right decision and it turned out ok. Provide a vicarious experience with lots of details. If you’re trying to convince someone not to mix the alcohol, you might share that story about your 21st birthday and how you ended up puking your guts out in the trough urinal and then… You get the point. Another less personal approach is to conduct a motivational interview. Ask leading questions that help that person, based on their own experiences, arrive at the conclusion that you’re looking for.

But making a change is hard and getting started is never easy. Try to make the undesirable, desirable. Break down the long process into micro-manageable steps. The hardest step is the first one. So if moping the floor means first getting out the bucket, then make that your easily attainable first step. Rewards help too, but there are pitfalls in that strategy. It’s not right to reward people for things that they should be doing. Also try to reward behavior and not outcomes. People are sneaky and will try to game the system otherwise.

Finally, you need to put yourself in the position to start influencing people. A lot of that requires establishing credibility. This can mean seeking out relevant experiences, studying and even obtaining recognized credentials (you didn’t really think I’d let you off the hook for your PE). But many times, location is all it takes to become an influencer. Be in near the place where people congregate. You colleagues that sit by the water cooler (or coffee maker) probably have a much better idea of what’s happening in office politics. And don’t expect to make an influence by showing up out of the blue. You need to establish relationships, so people (even superiors) feel comfortable accepting your advice.

Next in this series, we’ll delve more deeply into how the brain works and what that means for your performance.

Since July, I’ve been living in the South of France, exploring the local culture, geography and historic marvels.  Periodically, I’ve been sharing some of the interesting engineering-related stories that I’ve uncovered.  You can read about more of my ongoing adventures at http://mistralwriter.blogspot.com

Even in these technologically advanced times, the massive Roman structures of the first century impress. Perhaps the Romans’ most astounding feats were related to their ability to move water. The Pont du Gard brought fresh spring water nearly 50km from northern highlands to the Roman city at Nîmes. On the way the ancient engineers had to build a 275m long bridge over the Gardon River.

The Pont du Gard is comprised of 56 stone arches. The six lower arches are most impressive, 22m high and 6m thick. Making the story of its engineering even more incredible is the fact that it was constructed without the use of mortar. The precise site surveying and construction sequencing were also feats for the ancient world. Remnants of the shoring system can still be seen in the form of stone corbels protruding from the face of the arches. It’s amazing to think that block and tackle could be used to lift stones weighing up to six tons. Nevertheless, it’s estimated that the Pont du Gard was erected in 3 years, employing up to 1,000 workers.

In the middle ages, the Pont du Gard served as a pedestrian bridge across the river. At one point in history, the middle level of arches were chiseled back to provide a wider platform for horse cart traffic. Fortunately, the bridge has survived that defacement, centuries of forceful river surges and local seismic activity.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors now cross by the Pont each year on a more modern stone bridge designed to match the Roman architecture.  Most people don’t realize that they’re not actually walking across the Pont du Gard.  However, on special occasions it is possible to walk through the uppermost passage that carried the Roman water channel.  Only a few people are allowed to cross at a time, likely an evacuation precaution.  Surely the weight of the stone bridge itself dwarfs the handful of people that can fit within.  The experience is worth the substantial wait.

The Pont du Gard is an amazing structure. Standing in it’s presence, one reflects on the permanence of construction. How will structures built today age? Will they seem as elegant to our progeny 2000 years from now? The Romans were building an eternal empire; what are we building for?

As nationwide unemployment tops 10%, recent grads face increasing competition from laid-off professionals.  Adding to the bad news, the National Association of Colleges and Employers released a report stating that companies expect to hire 7% fewer new grads than they did in 2009.  The silver lining is that the new estimate represents an improvement from the previous year‘s data.  With these dubious prospects weighing on their mind, students attending the Early Career Transitions track at the annual convention had many questions for the panel of engineers representing a diverse cross-section of the profession.

• How do you distinguish yourself in the eyes of potential employers?
• Am I better off getting an MBA or Masters of Science degree?
• Will it help me get hired if I am LEED accredited?
• How do managers make hiring, promotion and firing decisions?
• Will belonging to professional societies help me get a job?

The answers understandably varied based on each individual’s personal experience.  Frequently, the right decision is a question of maximizing your potential and playing to your strengths.  However, there was broad consensus that being active in professional societies and/or government advocacy helps your career.  The reason is perhaps not as obvious.  Few, if any, employers simply check for a list of associations.  The benefit of belong to an organization like ASCE is the opportunity to meet potential employers and develop business skills.

• How do you improve your public speaking skills?
• Why should I get involved in city government policy debates?
• What is the difference between public and private employers?
• When should I manage my team from a distance?
• Who are my regional ASCE representatives, and why should I care?

Showing up to a meeting or conference is a good start, but simply listening to the presentation will probably leave you dissatisfied in the end.  Those who gain the most from the society are most actively involved.  You cannot overcome a fear of speaking without being forced to stand in front of your peers.  You cannot become an effective manager without practice.  ASCE offers a non-hostile environment to develop many important skills.

• How do I make the social adjustment to living in a new city without friends?
• Will older colleagues with families associate with me?
• What should I expect when changing firms or roles within the same company?
• Why shouldn’t I burn bridges after a bad employment experience?

ASCE has younger member groups in most major cities.  Many of their members have shared the experience of being the new kid on the block.  Adjusting to the workplace, no matter how rewarding the paycheck, is difficult.  Within that peer group you will find better advice than on a national panel or blog.

Nevertheless, I am going to try over the next several months to find experts to discuss the questions posed by students at the annual convention.  We may not always be able to get it right, but hopefully we’ll be able to provide the important resources and a reminder that there is an ASCE network eager to answer your questions.

What other questions do you have about your early career transition?

The annual conference wasn’t all fun and games, but the best part was.  Each year, the conference is followed by a service and outreach event.  It is a great opportunity to shed the business attire, escape the meeting room and give back to the community.  This year ASCE members volunteered to make improvements to the Heartland Therapeutic Riding Ranch. The facility provides equine-assisted therapy to children and adults with disabilities through human interaction with horses.

While some volunteers were doing construction jobs around the ranch, others ran hands-on events to teach kids about engineering.  Over 50 local children and their parents attended.  We might hope that a few future civil engineers were inspired by the activities sponsored by ASCE.

Photos from this event (and other related outreach activities) can be viewed at The View: ASCE’s Pre-College Outreach Photo Gallery on Flickr.com

Please excuse me for jumping straight from day one on the Annual Conference all the way to the closing remarks.  I was deathly ill err…busy.  It’s along story, but here are the highlights: an 80 mile round trip joy ride to set up for the service activity in a Chevy Cobalt (alas the Cameron’s father’s Ferrari was in Chicago); a costume party in the Negro Baseball League Museum (contains almost as much history as Wrigley field); and diner with author Brian Brenner (not quite as prestigious as Abe Froman, sausage king of Chicago).

Why all the Ferris Beuller jokes?  Ben Stein was the final speaker at the conference.  Far from the monotone sleep inducing lectures attended by the Wonder Years’ kids, his talk was very entertaining.  He woke everyone up by starting, “I like you guys because your job’s not B.S.”  As opposed to the entertainers with which he frequently works, he expressed thanks that engineers work “real jobs with exactitude.”

An economist by training, Mr. Stein then gave a quick history of economic policy in this country.  There was something for people of all political orientations to cringe at.  His take on supply-side (a.k.a. trickle down or Reganomics): “it doesn’t work.”  He’s no lover of the Obama administration’s economic policy either.  But to explain why we find our selves in this current economic malaise, he offered this analogy to civil engineering: “credit default swaps are as if every time you built a bridge, you were required to attach a land mine that would explode at some random point in the future.”

Finally, he turned his cynical gaze toward education.  Having worked a quiz show and a reality program about the intelligence of Hollywood models, he is quite terrified about the state of education in America.  Several anecdotes backed up this impression.  Even among college graduates, he lamented, “you can be pretty drunk and hung-over and get a C in college.”

Lest we all despair about the future of the country, he did end the conversation with the inspirational stories of the men and women in the armed forces.

The connection between his various stories and civil engineering was subtle but important.  People from all walks of life are seeking answers to the complex questions of our day.  Engineers are viewed as an elite team of problem solvers with the education and creativity to solve these problems.  It is a lofty charge but one we can achieve if we accept this vision for the profession.

The closing of the conference represents the end of our “day off.”  Like Ferris Bueller’s friends, we’ve learned more about ourselves and the expectations for our profession.  Monday will come and we’ll be back at school or work, but perhaps the conference attendees will be better able to tackle the daily challenges and make the most of the rest of the year.

The demographics of the nation and ASCE are changing.  While a steady stream of grey-haired or no-haired men still appear prominently throughout the conference agenda, a subtle change is taking place among the attendees.  This became clear to me at the leadership luncheon on Thursday, where I was the only white male sitting at my table.

To my right were two gentlemen who had traveled from Nigeria and Uganda to participate in the society. They have actually been ASCE members for several years and hoped to bring ideas back to their countries for growing the professional organization.  A lively discussion about education advocacy also piqued their interest.  Though they come from the same continent, they expressed real differences between their nations.  I was surprised to learn that Nigeria is actually more densely populated than China.  Meanwhile the gentleman from Uganda told of his struggle to technically educate people from the more remote regions of his country.

On the other side of the table, there sat two students from the University of British Columbia.  We don’t usually think of Canadians as minorities, but these students actually called China home.  Rounding out the table were three younger members from San Diego, a local engineer and one ASCE staff member – all female.

We all enjoyed a lively conversation and sought out our similarities: the reasons we became engineers, our professional passions and hobbies.  I left with a standing invitation to go snowboarding in Vancouver, surfing in California and hiking in Africa.