challenges of the 21 st century and strategic tools for the catalyst

Association of Consulting Engineers, Nigeria

National Conference, Lagos – November 1999ACEN

Under-Utilization of the Nigerian Consulting Engineer in Our National

Development"The Consulting Engineer as a Catalyst in National Wealth

Creation"

Challenges of the 21Challenges of the 21stst Century and Century and Strategic Tools for the Catalyst.Strategic Tools for the Catalyst.

by

Engr. Aliyu A. Aziz, MNSE

November 2000 Challenges of the 21st Century and Strategic Tools for the Catalyst 2

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About Me

Principal Consultant - Afri-Projects Consortium B. Eng. (Civil), M. Sc. (Struct.) - Ahmadu Bello University, ZariaProfessional Bodies Member, Nigeria Society of Engineers Member, Computer Association of Nigeria Member, Internet Society

Contact: [email protected]

http://AliyuAziz.com


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Objective

arm the consultant with modern strategic tools for survival in the 21st centuryexamine what is necessary to improve his strategic tools and allow him to achieve desired goals from

knowledge management; strategic management; reengineering; and leadership

prepare the consultant to response to sudden, unforeseen changes, understand and overcome obstacles to success, easily collaborate with every conceivable discipline and from every conceivable source


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Topics

IntroductionThe ChallengeInformation Technology InfrastructureStrategic Business ToolsConclusion


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Introduction

Knowledge is the raw material for creating all economic wealth in the 21st century Professional Consultants are expected to develop unique strategies and skills that will enable them to create opportunities out of challengesChallenges in knowledge management, lifecycles, strategic management, reengineering and leadership require more urgent attention of the Consultant


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Introduction ...

Interdependence is fast replacing independence. New power lies in the ability to adapt assume responsibility have a shared vision empower others negotiate successful results and assume control of one’s ethical behaviors


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Introduction ...

Table 1.0: Challenges to the Consulting Engineer in the 21st century

Data Processing

Information Processing

Knowledge Processing

Knowledge Sharing & Wisdom

Project Lifecycle

Project Circle Project Spiral Project Dynamics

Strategic Issues

Environmental Internal Systemic

Management Planning Implementation

Control

Decision Making

Investigation Development, Evaluation, & Selection

Implementation & Follow-up

Reengineering Total Quality Management

Business Process Reengineering

Leadership – Vision, Values, Ethics & Culture


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Introduction ...

As catalyst in national wealth creation, we must Rethink the nation’s needs, its problems and

issues in current perspectives State the positive outcomes the nation

requires Recommend solutions that solve the problems

effectively and deliver efficient results Show we are competent to deliver on time

and within budget


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Introduction ...

We should guide the government to concentrate on its Major Goals, by assisting it to: - Lift barriers to innovation and not to

impose new obstacles Help develop and maintain a workforce,

appropriate to its needs and the aspiration of the general public

Establish a stable environment for research and innovation, without governmental direction


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The Challenge

The Goal - Knowledge A knowledge-driven information network

that will help solve many kinds of business problems effectively

Challenges Knowledge Management Project Cycle Strategic Management Reengineering Leadership


ACENChallenges: Knowledge Management

A managerial discipline that treats intellectual capital as a managed assetThe primary tools applied in KM are organisational dynamics process engineering technology

It is important that engineering consultants equip themselves with the proper incentives and tools to share knowledge as well as design solutions with specific business problems in mind


ACENChallenges: Knowledge Management

Information is derived from data processing, knowledge from information processing.Wisdom can only be gleaned from knowledge management.


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Challenges: Project Cycle

The project life cycle defined: The four sequential phases in time through which any project passes, namely: conception; development; implementation; and termination

Circle Spiral • Systematic explanation

• Evolutionary explanation


ACENChallenges: Strategic Management…

A technique for evaluation and measurement often employed at the highest management level. It addresses jugular issues touching the heart of business entities with grave implications on their future. Competition and competitiveness Customer/Supplier power Government and legal regulation Barriers to entry

It eliminates conflict between long-term development and short-term profitability.It focuses on the complexities of the total business environment, with well-defined aims, well-developed means to achieve them, and by pursuing viable opportunities wherever they can be identified, which may be regardless of the current operations.



Strategic management

Values

RequirementsFocus

Goals



Relies heavily on a continuous supply of information about the environment.Main features of strategic management External Internal Systemic

Internalexternal

System

Level 0

Level 2

Level 1

Level 3



Main components of strategic management Environmental issues Planning direction Planning strategy Implementing the strategy

Planning directionEnvironmental

issues

Planning strategyImplementatio

n


ACENReengineering and Leadership

Conventional thinking firms assume that variables are stable in their

marketplace, that boundaries (industrial, geographical, etc.) are clearly articulated, that the endgame is known or predictable

Reengineered thinking four drivers that enable firms to be focused

and accountable leadership governance competencies technology


ACENChallenges: Reengineering and Leadership…

Research found six distinct leadership styles, each springing from different components of emotional intelligence.

Emotional Intelligence:

Self-Awareness

Emotional self-awareness:the ability to read and understand your emotions as well as recognise their impact on work performance, relationship, and the like.Accurate self-assessment:a realistic evaluation of your strengths and limitations.Self-confidence: a strong and positive sense of self-worth.

Self-Management

Self-control: the ability to keep disruptive emotions and impulses under controlTrustworthiness: a consistent display of honesty and integrityConscientiousness: the ability to manage yourself and your responsibilities.Adaptability: skill at adjusting to changing situations and overcoming obstacles.Achievement orientation: the drive to meet an internal standard of excellence.Initiative: a readiness to seize opportunities.



Emotional Intelligence:Social Awareness

Empathy: skill at sensing other people’s emotions, understanding their perspective, and taking an active interest in their concerns. Organizational awareness:the ability to read the currents of organizational life, build decision networks, and navigate politics.Service orientation: the ability to recognize and meet customers’ needs.

Social Skill

Visionary Leadership: the ability to take charge and inspire with a compelling vision.Influence: the ability to wield a range of persuasive tactics.Developing others: the propensity to bolster the abilities of others through feedback and guidance.Communication: skill at listening and at sending clear, convincing, and well-tuned messages.Change catalyst: proficiency at initiating new ideas and leading people in a new direction.Conflict management: the ability to de-escalate disagreements and orchestrate resolutions.Building bonds: proficiency at cultivating and maintaining a web of relationships.Teamwork and collaboration: competence at promoting cooperation and building teams.



The six styles of leadership

The leader’s modus operandi

Underlying emotional intelligence competences

The style in a phrase

When the style works best

Overall impact climate

Coercive

Demands immediate compliance

Drive to achieve, initiative, self-control

“Do what I tell you

In a crisis, to kick start a turnaround, or with problem employees

Negative

Authoritative

Mobilizes people toward a vision

Self-confidence, empathy, change catalyst

“Come with me”

When changes require a new vision, or when a clear direction is neededMost strongly positive

Affiliative

Creates harmony and builds emotional bonds

Empathy, building relationships, communication

“People come first”

To heal rifts in a team or to motivate people during stressful circumstancesPositive



The six styles of leadershipCoaching

Develops people for the future

Developing others, empathy, self-awareness

“Try this.”

To help an employee improve performance or develop long-term strengths

Positive

Democratic

Forges consensus through participation

Collaboration, team leadership, communication

“What do you think?”

To build buy-in or consensus, or to get input from valuable employees

Positive

Pacesetting

Sets high standards for performance

Conscientiousness, drive to achieve, initiative

“Do as I do, now.”

To get quick results form a highly motivated and competent team

Negative

The leader’s modus operandi

Underlying emotional intelligence competences

The style in a phrase

When the style works best

Overall impact climate



Getting Molecular: The Impact of LeadershipStyles on Drivers of Climate

FlexibilityFlexibility

ResponsibilityResponsibility

StandardsStandards

RewardsRewards

ClarityClarity

CommitmentCommitment

Coercive

-.28

-.37

-.02

-.18

-.11

-.13

AffiliativeAffiliative

.27.27

.16.16

.31.31

.48.48

.37.37

.34.34

Democratic

.28

.23

.22

.42

.35

.26

Pacesetting

-.07

.04

-.27

-.29

-.28

-.20

Authoritative

.32

.21

.38

.54

.44

35

Coaching

.17

.08

.39

.43

.38

.27

Overall impact -.26 .54 .46 .43 -.25 .42 on climate

Overall impact -.26 .54 .46 .43 -.25 .42 on climate


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Six distinct leadership styles: Coercive leaders – demand immediate

compliance Authoritative leaders – mobilize people toward

a vision Affiliative leaders – create emotional bonds and

harmony Democratic leaders – build consensus through

participation Pacesetting leaders – expect excellence and

self-direction Coaching leaders – develop people for the future

You’ll agree with me that most engineers belong to the last two groups. We, therefore, need to move up the ladder, to the most strongly positive authoritative leadership style for effective performance and results

Challenges: Reengineering and Leadership…


ACENInformation Technology Infrastructure

The empires of trade and nations are fast giving way to the imperishable empire of knowledge and leadership.Information Technology (IT) is providing the currency of immeasurable value to aid this new empireThe new IT is a combination of all available information media, including computer, telephone, data networks, cable television, satellites, fiber optics, and software.


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Information Technology Infrastructure ...

Primary objective: To develop an economy-wide network that can support an ever-growing range of business processes, within and between corporations.Computer companies and leading telecommunication carriers allied themselves with transnational enterprises. These alliances were based on the axiom that corporate capital’s ownership and control of networks should be beyond dispute or discussion.


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Over the last five years the reliability, speed and security of the internet have improved.Internet offers a splendid new medium through which to transact business.It has become the primary platform for essential business / government activities.


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What stops our banks from joining the bandwagon? FEAR FEAR FEAR - Fear of the unknown,

precipitated by lack of understanding security issues, among others

This phobia will also apply to consultants. If we continue to fear to participate in present day B2B Exchanges, it will be impossible to remain competitive.


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What do we do? We need to expend heavily on

training and reorientation, adopt new technological tools and study how the society affects technology, and not the other way round.


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Strategic Business Tools

Hot technologies for Consulting Engineers: use the Internet both inside and

outside our firms as the common networking infrastructure

use the World Wide Web itself as the development environment for most of our application interfaces


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Strategic Business Tools

Smart Cards Digital Certificates XML

JAVA


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Smart card is an intelligent ID card with the ability to store information and perform transactions.It can be in the form of plastic card, a ring, a watch or anything you carry around.

Strategic Business Tools: Smart Cards


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A digital certificate enables two entities to establish each other’s identity for electronic commerce transactions. It can be stored on smart cards and in computer systems. It certifies the authenticity of the person performing the transaction.

Strategic Business Tools: Digital Certificates.


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“XML” Stands for Extensible Mark-up Language It is the basis for storing and shipping data on the web Rapidly becoming the lingua franca of electronic commerce.

Strategic Business Tools: XML


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The hottest programming language. Programs written in JAVA take less time to produce, because it is much less error-prone. JAVA will run on any platform, from TV, to a cell phone, to a web site without modifications.

Strategic Business Tools: JAVA


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Conclusion

In today’s interdependent, hyper-competitive environment, the professional engineer needs the power of vision, people, knowledge, strategic business tools and technology to overcome obstacles and easily collaborate with every conceivable discipline to deliver projects


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Conclusion ...

In the near future, what will drive success is the ability to initiate, sustain and profit from interdependent relationships. The outcome will be innovative products, creative services and possibly new technology. To get there, however, we will have to develop our leadership intelligence. Why leadership? Because leaders hold the key to success.


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Thank you

The End

Visit me @

http://AliyuAziz.com

challenges of the 21 st century and strategic tools for the catalyst

Documents

consultant introduction

modern strategic tools

specific business problems

mind challenges

century introduction

conceivable discipline

project passes

meprincipal consultant