I believe the ongoing development of leadership is essential to the well being – even the survival – of engineering as a self-governing profession. Both PEO and OSPE require mechanisms to develop leadership from within their common membership base, and to provide for succession of their leadership and governance structures. History has proven time and time again that organizations which do not invest in leadership development and succession suffer periods of weakness, ineffectiveness, and strife – be they corporations, charities, unions, trade associations, or political parties.
Over the years, PEO has often experienced difficulty finding suitable candidates willing to run for positions on chapter executives and on Council. This is particularly true of the position of President[-Elect], which requires recent experience on Council and roots in the organization as a volunteer. The pool of potential candidates for this position is extremely small, given the reluctance of many Councillors to take on the extra responsibilities of the Presidency. Acclamations and repeated recycling of some candidates through leadership positions all speak to the need for attention to leadership succession.
I contend that it is not enough to rely on our existing process of nominating persons with leadership aspirations and (hopefully) already developed leadership qualities to fill offices. Since both the quality and quantity of persons with leadership aspirations and qualifications will vary naturally over time, to do so risks inconsistent leadership and leadership vacua. While it is true that such candidates exist within any population, their time and talents tend to be in high demand both in their places of business and in other volunteer organizations. Another disadvantage of this natural selection approach is that strong “natural” leaders, when they do emerge, can dominate the organization, suppressing the development of colleagues and successors as well as the development of cohesion within the leadership base.
A volunteer organization like PEO should have mechanisms to attract and develop members who have an interest in leading. Of course, these mechanisms should not interfere with or bias the democratic election processes of the organization. This means that “leadership tracks” must remain largely informal. But they can go a long way to ensuring consistent quality and cohesion of the leadership base.
Moreover, the existence of formal leadership development opportunities can be an important incentive to volunteer for leadership. This incentive also extends to the volunteer leader’s employer or business practice, and to other organizations with which he/she may volunteer. Indeed, the sort of development I am proposing here would have many practical benefits to every day life and relationships of all types.
So what do we mean by leadership development or “formation”? Leadership requires the development of a fundamentally different kind of skill set than that required for technical competence in a discipline. This skill set includes the ability to do such things as:
- Articulate principles and vision relative to the organization’s objectives;
- Strategize;
- Organize group effort;
- Build consensus;
- Facilitate planning sessions / workshops;
- Mediate and resolve conflict;
- Influence and persuade, both privately and in public fora.
While it can be argued that every engineer would benefit from development of such skills, they may not be absolutely essential for the performance of his/her work and the protection of the public therein.
Besides acquiring leadership skills, it is also necessary for leaders to immerse themselves in the “culture” and activities of the organization in order to become familiar with its issues, concerns, and traditions. Within Ontario’s engineering profession, this role has historically been performed most often by PEO’s Chapter and Committee system. It is probably safe to say, however, that these institutions have been more effective at communicating and perpetuating the corporate culture than at developing leadership skills, which more often has been left to chance.
What kind of leadership development mechanisms should we have? Perhaps the best way to answer this question is to consider what background is desirable for one to fulfil the role of President (or another executive office) effectively. I would include the following:
- Working knowledge of the Professional Engineers Act, Regulations, and By Laws;
- Familiarity with the Association’s volunteer organization structure (chapters, regions, committees, etc.);
- Familiarity with the Association’s operating functions and staff organization;
- Familiarity with the major issues facing the profession, and with the Association’s strategic and tactical plans to address them;
- Skill at chairing meetings and facilitating workshops;
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
- Ability to persuade and influence others;
- Team leadership skills;
- Conflict resolution skills.
This by no means exhaustive list of attributes may sound like a tall order, but everything on it can be learned over time by a motivated individual, including the seemingly more esoteric leadership skills.
I am proposing that PEO develop a set of leadership development modules. Each module would consist of written background material with review questions to be self-studied - this could all be done on-line over the Internet at the participant’s convenience – plus an actual half-day or full-day workshop session to be scheduled at periodic intervals and locations. Participants would receive a leadership development credit and certificate upon completion of each module.
Some suggested modules / topics:
- The Professional Engineers Act, Regulations, and By Laws
- an organized look at the mandate and legal basis of our self-governing profession
- the responsibilities and powers of the Association
- the governance structures of the Association - Demand Side Engineering Legislation
- an overview of existing demand side legislation requiring a P.Eng.
- an overview of emerging legal requirements for special qualifications
- an assessment of additional areas where demand side legislation is warranted
- regulatory incursions into PEO’s legislated mandate - Chapter Leadership
- the roles and responsibilities of chapter executives
- chapter activities in support of PEO’s strategic initiatives - Admission To The Profession (Licensure)
- an overview of the admissions process
- requirements for licensure
- classes of licence and membership - Complaints and Discipline
- grounds for discipline
- an overview of the complaints and discipline processes - Enforcement
- grounds for enforcement (offences under the Act)
- enforcement procedures - Accreditation of Academic Programs
- an orientation to CEAB accreditation criteria and processes similar to that currently given to general visitors - Chairing A Meeting
- rules of order
- techniques for successful meetings - Facilitating a Workshop
- techniques for facilitating working group meetings
- brainstorming - Communication Skills
- The Psychology of Influence
- Team Leadership
- Emotional Intelligence>br />
- Mediation and Conflict Resolution
The above list is just a sample of the kinds of topics which could be included. Note that many of them are from the realm of applied psychology, which turns out to be much more interesting and useful than some engineers might think. Some of these short modules could serve as introductions to subjects which the participants might subsequently choose to study in greater depth through more formal course offerings at the university / college level.
I believe the Association should bear the costs of offering these programs to those who volunteer for leadership positions as an investment in leadership succession. I can think of no greater reward for our dedicated volunteers than to provide them with professional development opportunities which will benefit their personal lives, their professional careers, their employers or businesses, and their communities.
(Submitted for publication in Engineering Dimensions, March-April, 2005)