Leadership and Management in Engineering

Globalization has become an increasingly important factor in today’s business model—in the United States as well as in many developing nations. Organizational survival and longevity are now closely linked to a strategy of seeking to be considered “world class.” But an organization can only be as good as its people—it takes the best people, often from many walks of life, working as a motivated team to produce world-class products or services. This article explains how effective diversity-based management enables organizations to harness the talents of its people—talents that are not limited by a variety of characteristics that include race, gender, and ethnicity. It also explains how positive leadership strategies can overcome the distrust of some ethnicities that has been exacerbated by the events of 9/11. The author proposes that diversity planning should be embodied in an organization’s strategic plan if it to be successfully implemented and sustained.

This article analyzes the experience of working in a firm that has yet to benefit from the advantages of diversity. In an attempt to broaden the perspective of diversity and examine the current situation of firms employing a mirror image of their current management, the reader is drawn into living in a world with and around people that are just like them. The reader is asked to question not only his or her comfort but also the authenticity of his or her world and environment. The author covers the basic definitions of diversity, as well as the simplest of benefits associated with having a diverse working environment, by highlighting the value found in any person’s unique characteristics. The author then challenges the reader to develop this value-added environment strategically, just as all firms do with other initiatives and objectives that completely benefit the firm, its employees, and the community at large.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are everywhere in engineering; we are members of the National Academy of Engineering, deans of engineering schools, and corporate executives; we are on the shop floor, in the field, and in the cubicle. Social trends and workplace policies that support inclusion have made LGBT people more visible, further driving diversity and equality efforts. As LGBT visibility increases, new strategies are needed to support this expression of diversity and ensure a workplace free from prejudice and an environment conducive to everyone’s success. While large corporations have led the way in LGBT diversity efforts, it is critical now that smaller businesses follow suit in order to recruit and retain the most talented individuals.

Using words of wisdom from his father, the author explores his introduction to working with employees with disabilities. In telling his own story, the author demonstrates that sometimes the best employees can only be found when employers embrace diversity in the workplace.

Since 2000, the percentage of married mothers with infants and small children in the workforce has fallen an average of 5 percent. Should we care if women leave the workforce? If talented women choose to “off ramp,” their participation in public life is gone, along with their talents and their ability to positively impact society. Once they leave, they usually cannot regain the income or status they had. Women lose an average of 18 percent of their earning power when they temporarily leave the workforce, with women in professional sectors losing a greater percentage. Despite the media talk of “on ramps,” only 40 percent of high-powered professional women get back to full-time work after taking leave, usually at a significant pay reduction. With engineers in demand, many employers are finding it very important to lure “off-ramped” talent back into the workforce. This article explores potential solutions with a focus on policies that allow women and men the flexibility that life sometimes demands, be it time for young children, getting an advanced degree, or caring for an aging parent.

Diversity of the engineering workforce begins with addressing the diversification issues in the education of engineers. The author describes some of the issues related to diversifying engineering education, which include not only the diversification of students and faculty but also the curriculum. She suggests that special attention be paid to the doubly underrepresented group—the female engineering student of color. She concludes that such diversification would benefit both female and male engineering students.