Leadership Lessons From 20 Years of Effective Engineering

It’s safe to say that the best solutions — the ones that benefit the most people while protecting what’s important — aren’t temporary.

Leaders have a responsibility to look beyond “fast fix” solutions that only tackle the symptoms of a problem while meeting temporary expectations. Effective leadership comes in many forms — with the ultimate goal to address the real needs.

But that’s easier said than done. After two decades of experience, I follow five principles and make an effort to model to my team to do the same:

1. Don’t assume you’re always right. If you view yourself and your group as being in competition, with differing views as challenges to your “authority,” you’ll lose out on the intellects and strengths of everyone else. Being open to suggestions, and even critiques, isn’t a way to weaken your leadership role; it’s a primary function of it. You’re working together toward the same goal.
    
2. Aim for a breadth of experience/knowledge. I started at Atmus in 2000 as a design and analysis engineer. Since those early days, I’ve held a series of roles. I was recently asked why I had transitioned to so many different positions. The simple answer is that I like to be challenged and have never declined new opportunities. I’ve always been intrigued by how things work. Each role here gave me new insights and taught me different approaches to problem-solving.
   
   For instance, when I was a product line engineer, I gained a better understanding of what we could do to help engine manufacturers. Instead of being focused on the “hot thing” for my specific team, I could apply knowledge about the many different things I’d worked on. So whether I’m interacting with chemists, computer-aided design (CAD) technicians, or chemical, mechanical or electrical engineers, I know the direct implications of my suggestions and actions. That knowledge heavily plays into the potential success of a long-lasting solution.
    
3. Jump in. My father was an engineer and plant manager. One of the many lessons I learned from him was that, when you’re a leader, you need to dig in. Leadership isn’t sitting back and letting others do the work. He was proud to “jump in” and experience the same issues, emotions and triumphs as his team firsthand. Putting that into practice in my own career has improved collaboration and decision-making within my own team. It’s helped me to care about what matters most to them and understand how I can help them do their jobs better.
    
4. Embrace and encourage learning. When I was getting my undergraduate degree, I was taught the basics of engineering. That knowledge broadened when I began earning my master’s degree. Whether in a classroom or real-world application, I never stop learning. If you demonstrate a constant desire to learn, your team is more likely to follow suit. This includes looking at every experience as a learning opportunity. Curiosity keeps us creative and humble — a critical skill for correctly framing and solving problems.
    
5. Pull, don’t push. As a leader, it’s vital to encourage team-building and inspire. I want my team to openly talk about our projects and share all of their ideas. My current team ranges in age from early twenties to early sixties — with just as many personalities. We take the time to get to know and understand one another and our unique experiences. I’ve also seen more examples than I can count of people simply caring for each other — from jumping in to fix car trouble right in the Atmus parking lot to consoling team members who’ve experienced a serious illness or death in their families. Making the effort to build trust and make space for open communication creates a stronger team.

At its core, effective leadership isn’t developed overnight. Providing lasting solutions is built on a collective foundation of trust, collaboration and a belief that we never stop learning. 

By making the investment to live out these principles, a leader can have the necessary building blocks in place to engineer effective solutions — solutions that not only define one’s leadership, but allow one’s team to shine as well.