1 Understanding Engineers 201 Resolving Communication Issues WFOA Annual Conference September 20, 2007

2 Communicating with an engineer is only slightly more difficult than communicating with the dead. Lorren “Rus” Stiles, Sr.

3 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

4 Types of Communication Problems/Issues Perspective Education Staff to Staff, Manager to Manager Accountability Engineers: Regulators Finance: Rate Payers Both: Mayor, Council/Board

5 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

6 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

7 When/Where Problems Occur Budget Time Instructions from Finance Responses from Engineering CIP, Master Plans Future O&M Expenses Grant Writing Year End Reporting

8 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

9 When/Where Problems Occur (con’t) 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

10 People/Communication Styles ASSERTIVENESS RESPONSIVENESSRESPONSIVENESS LESS MORE ASK TASK PEOPLE TELL Figure from “People Styles at Work”, Bolton & Bolton, 1996

11 People/Communication Styles Figure from “People Styles at Work”, Bolton & Bolton, 1996 ANALYTICAL DRIVER EXPRESSIVE AMIABLE Less Assertiveness and Less Responsiveness More Assertiveness and Less Responsiveness More Assertiveness and More Responsiveness Less Assertiveness and More Responsiveness PW Directors ? Finance Officers? City Engineers ? Planners ?

12 Anticipated Behaviors Information from “People Styles at Work”, Bolton & Bolton, 1996 ANALYTICALS DRIVERS EXPRESSIVES AMIABLES Cool Distant Formal Conservative Logical Impersonal Secretive Organized Demanding Factual Warm Agreeable Cooperative Careful Quiet Stimulating Unstructured Enthusiastic Outgoing Personal

13 When Strengths Becomes Weaknesses - Overuse Figures from “People Styles at Work”, Bolton & Bolton, 1996 DRIVERS Independent Results-Oriented Candid Pragmatic StrengthsWeaknesses Poor Collaborator Impersonal Abrasive Shortsighted EXPRESSIVES Articulate Fast-Paced Visionary Fun-loving StrengthsWeaknesses Poor Listener Impatient Impractical Distracting ANALYTICALS Prudent Painstaking Task-Oriented Systematic StrengthsWeaknesses Indecisive Nitpicky Impersonal Bureaucratic AMIABLES Diplomatic Dependable Supportive People-Oriented StrengthsWeaknesses Conflict Avoider Dependent Permissive Inattentive to Task

14 People Styles In Stress ASSERTIVENESS RESPONSIVENESSRESPONSIVENESS Less More Figure from “People Styles at Work”, Bolton & Bolton, 1996 Analytical Driver Expressive Amiable ACQUIESING AUTOCRATIC AVOIDING ATTACKING Secondary Back-up

15 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

16 People Styles Summary PW Directors ?Planners ? Finance Officers ? City Engineers ? DRIVEREXPRESSIVEAMIABLEANALYTICAL Primary NeedResultsRecognition Personal Security To be Right Allow to SaveTimeEffortRelationshipsFace Needs Climate that Allows to build own structure Inspires to their goals SuggestsProvides detail Take time to be EfficientStimulatingAgreeableAccurate Support Their Conclusions & Actions Dreams & Intuitions Relationships & Feelings Principles & Thinking Provide Answers to WhatWhoWhyHow For Decisions, Give Options & Probabilities Testimony & Incentives Guarantees & Assurances Evidence & Benefits Style SpecialtyControlSocialSupportiveTechnical

17 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

18 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

19 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

20 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

21 Questions