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Understanding Engineers 201Understanding Engineers 201

Resolving Communication IssuesResolving Communication Issues

WFOAWFOA Annual ConferenceAnnual Conference

September 20, 2007September 20, 2007

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Communicating with an Communicating with an engineer is only slightly more engineer is only slightly more difficult than communicating difficult than communicating with the dead.with the dead.

Lorren “Rus” Stiles, Sr.

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Presentation Overview

Types of Communication Problems/Issues

Where & When Communication Problems/Issues Occur

People/Position Communication Styles

How to Get What Is Needed (Solutions)

Questions

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Types of Communication Problems/Issues

Perspective Education Staff to Staff,

Manager to Manager Accountability

Engineers: Regulators Finance: Rate Payers Both: Mayor, Council/Board

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Types of Communication Problems/Issues (con’t) Approach for Projects

Engineers: Beginning, Middle, End Finance: Ongoing

Goals Engineers: Get the project finished Finance: How to pay for the project

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Types of Communication Problems/Issues (con’t)

Acronyms GASB vs. PS&E YTD, FY, CY DOT vs. WSDOT TSS, BOD, MBR ERU, ESFU, DUE

Interpretation of Meetings

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When/Where Problems Occur Budget Time

Instructions from Finance Responses from Engineering

CIP, Master Plans Future O&M Expenses Grant Writing Year End Reporting

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When/Where Problems Occur (con’t)

Stages of Projects Each stage of an

engineering project provides different financial information

Changing costs of projects cause changing financing needs

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When/Where Problems Occur (con’t)

Political Will Political Will

Political Will Political Will

Regulatory Requirements

Public Health and Safety

Economic Development

Tied to Community Goals

Opportunity Costs/Scheduling Coordination

With Road Projects, etc.

Replacement Needs

Funding Availability/Rate Impact

Prioritizing Projects

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People/Communication Styles

ASSERTIVENESS

RESPONSIVENESS

LESS

LE

SS

MORE

MO

RE

ASK

TASK

PEOPLE

TELL

Figure from “People Styles at Work”, Bolton & Bolton, 1996

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People/Communication Styles

Figure from “People Styles at Work”, Bolton & Bolton, 1996

ANALYTICAL DRIVER

EXPRESSIVEAMIABLE

Less Assertivenessand

Less Responsiveness

More Assertivenessand

Less Responsiveness

More Assertivenessand

More Responsiveness

Less Assertivenessand

More Responsiveness

PW Directors ?

Finance Officers?City Engineers ?

Planners ?

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Anticipated Behaviors

Information from “People Styles at Work”, Bolton & Bolton, 1996

ANALYTICALS DRIVERS

EXPRESSIVESAMIABLES

• Cool

• Distant

• Formal

• Conservative

• Logical

• Impersonal

• Secretive

• Organized

• Demanding

• Factual

• Warm

• Agreeable

• Cooperative

• Careful

• Quiet

• Stimulating

• Unstructured

• Enthusiastic

• Outgoing

• Personal

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When Strengths Becomes Weaknesses - Overuse

Figures from “People Styles at Work”, Bolton & Bolton, 1996

DRIVERS• Independent• Results-Oriented• Candid• Pragmatic

Strengths Weaknesses• Poor Collaborator• Impersonal• Abrasive• Shortsighted

EXPRESSIVES• Articulate• Fast-Paced• Visionary• Fun-loving

Strengths Weaknesses• Poor Listener• Impatient• Impractical• Distracting

ANALYTICALS• Prudent• Painstaking• Task-Oriented• Systematic

Strengths Weaknesses• Indecisive• Nitpicky• Impersonal• Bureaucratic

AMIABLES• Diplomatic• Dependable• Supportive• People-Oriented

Strengths Weaknesses• Conflict Avoider• Dependent• Permissive• Inattentive to Task

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People Styles In Stress

ASSERTIVENESS

RESPONSIVENESS

Less

Less

More

More

Figure from “People Styles at Work”, Bolton & Bolton, 1996

Analytical Driver

ExpressiveAmiable

ACQUIESING

AUTOCRATICAVOIDIN

G

ATTACKING

Secondary Back-up

Secondary Back-up

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So… How Do We Get Along? Your style is based on other’s perceptions of you

Flexibility or Style Flex

Not Manipulation or Conformity Does not mean changing point of view Change your behavior not theirs “Process” of interaction, not “content” Temporary Adjustment

4 Step Process

“Style flex is not about changing the other person; it’s about changing yourself.”

Bolton

IDENTIFY PLAN IMPLEMENT EVALUATE

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People Styles SummaryPW Directors ? Planners ? Planners ?

Finance Officers ?City Engineers ?

DRIVER EXPRESSIVE AMIABLE ANALYTICAL

Primary Need

Results RecognitionPersonal Security

To be Right

Allow to Save

Time EffortRelationships

Face

Needs Climate that

Allows to build own structure

Inspires to their goals

SuggestsProvides detail

Take time to be

Efficient Stimulating Agreeable Accurate

Support Their

Conclusions & Actions

Dreams & Intuitions

Relationships & Feelings

Principles & Thinking

Provide Answers to

What Who Why How

For Decisions, Give

Options & Probabilities

Testimony & Incentives

Guarantees & Assurances

Evidence & Benefits

Style Specialty

Control Social Supportive Technical

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Possible Solutions

Use Communication Tools & Techniques Know their “style” and be ready to flex Set up communications plan up front

Complexity = more communications Match medium to information

request/transfer “Don’t just say it, write it!”

Make the time Information requests

Formatted example Detailed instruction procedure Follow up

“Seek first to understand and then to be understood” Stephen Covey

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Possible Solutions

Set team meetings Kickoff - Share

requirements/expectations Engineering - Delivery schedule

Help me figure out how to fund it Help me meet my schedule

Accounting - Get #s right Give me good estimates Watch the #s – we only have so much

money available

“Seek first to understand and then to be understood” Stephen Covey

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Possible Solutions Set team meetings

Discuss funding and project risk areas – make contingency plans

Explain terminology Regularly schedule communications per plan Identify and communicate early on issues Recognize problems are still going to happen

Describe how to manage change orders/contingency budget

Collaborate to develop solutions

“Seek first to understand and then to be understood” Stephen Covey

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Possible Solutions

Find commonalities/build relationships – not “Us” vs. “Them” Regulatory stresses “How is the project going?” Get to know personal interests

Let’s apply these tools

“Seek first to understand and then to be understood” Stephen Covey

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Questions