1. The Inclusive Engineering Environment: Exploring Company Practice using Various Leadership Approaches
By: Katlyn Malone

2. Introduction Importance:
With the increasing number of women and nonconforming genders graduating with degrees in engineering; engineering companies can have a hard time adjusting to the presence of women and nonconforming genders in a male-dominated community.
Why I’m Interested:
I am studying computer engineering and when I graduate, I plan on working in an engineering company as an engineer. I want to be sure my treatment and the treatment of fellow minorities will be appropriate and our needs will be accommodated for.

3. Objective
My aim is to examine and identify the approaches using various leadership methods that engineering companies have taken to create an inclusive environment for engineers; women engineers and nonconforming gendered engineers in specific. I wish to identify a leadership method that accommodates the needs of women engineers and nonconforming gendered engineers in the Midwest.
In order to complete this, my goal is to answer the question: “How are engineering companies in the Midwest incorporating or not incorporating leadership theories to accommodate the growing number of women and nonconforming gendered engineers entering the engineering industry?”

4. A Review of Literature Common Findings Suggest:
Women in engineering workplaces felt as if they were identified more as a woman that as an engineer.
Women in an engineering setting have habits of negotiating their identity to feel accepted by their male colleagues.
There is a connection between women engineers having a network within the company to the retention rate of women engineers.

5. My Research: Methods and Data
Methodology
Data Collection Procedures
My research was comprised of a survey. The survey ask a variety questions ranging from the comfort of employees with the treatment of coworkers to the policies put in place to protect women and underrepresented minorities in the company.
The information from these items will be used to link current engineering environments to a potential leadership cause or method of improvement through quantitative methods.
My data was collected through a combination of qualitative and quantitative procedures.
I conducted a demographic questionnaire to find out general information from the women and/or nonconforming gendered engineers.
The remaining questions of the survey were focused around observing the comfort levels of these individuals on their work place.
In the future I will hold a survey for HR representatives of companies to follow a similar procedure.

6. My Research: Results Demographics and Participants
257 Survey Participants
200 Participants from the Mid West
Majority between ages 24-34
Majority White
Majority Male

7. My Research: Results
What type of support groups or opportunities does your company offer for you being a woman and/or nonconforming gendered individual in engineering?
Out of 114 responses:
49 – group or community to support women in engineering
45 – No groups
17 – N/A or I don’t know
3 – Group for LGBTQ

8. My Research: Results
50 % of women that took the survey said that they felt they had been discriminated against on the basis of gender.
Comments from Participants:
“I felt that it took longer for me to prove to them (my company) I could handle more responsibilities than it took for my male colleagues.”
“I often feel the need to prove myself to people who have never interacted with me as a woman engineer. Once I have had an interaction, this no longer occurs. I believe this is a product of the stereotypes associated with women upon first meeting me.”
“Management is always making things more difficult for women like getting project approvals or talking down on you compared to male employees doing and asking for the same things.”

9. My Research: Results
How could your company do a better job of supporting women and/or nonconforming gendered engineers?(Ex: Better hours for more time with family, more women restrooms)
Out of 132 Participants:
49 – Better family hours/ maternity and paternity leave
34 – Add lactation rooms and convenient bathrooms
22 – I don’t know
16 – Support groups/ mentorships
11 – Nothing, the company does a good job

10. My Research: Discussion / Analysis
My discoveries:
Generational Differences-
The women who classified as being in the age ranges of had a consensus that they were content with the treatment from their companies
The women who classified as being in the age ranges of 35+ had a consensus that they wanted more from their companies.
Older men didn’t think that women and nonconforming gendered individuals should have accommodations.
Younger men (25-34) claimed that their companies could do more to support women.
What does this mean?
Possibly, younger women feel that since they have not given much to the company, it would be rude or unprofessional to ask for more than what they are given.
Older women feel that since they have contributed to the company and they have invested in the company, the company should also invest in them.

11. My Research: Memorable Quotes
Q:15 - How could your company do a better job of supporting women and/or nonconforming gendered engineers?(Ex: Better hours for more time with family, more women restrooms)
Q:27 - How do you feel the company could better communicate the policies put in place to support minorities or underrepresented groups of peoples?
Q:15
“LOL! Are you kidding?! The entire engineering department is dudes (they had a female intern once), and the VP of engineering oozes benevolent sexism.”
Q:27
“I think it is more than just a policy that is needed. Companies need to create a culture of acceptance.”

12. Connection to Leadership
Social Change Model:
A model of leadership the emphasizes positive social change for the individual, the group, and the community.
For change, you need to consider the 7 Cs:
Citizenship
Common Purpose
Collaboration
Controversy with Civility
Conscious of self
Congruence
Commitment

13. Connection to Leadership
Emotional Intelligence:
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, and those of the people around you.
Empathy
Understanding other people
Respecting and relating well to people of diverse backgrounds
Listening attentively to others
Organizational Awareness
Understanding the "power" of relationship in one's own group or organization.
Understanding values and culture of groups or organizations
Service Orientation
driven by the desire to help or serve others in order to meet their needs.

14. Connection to Leadership
Adaptive Leadership Theory:
Difference between technical problems and adaptive challenges
Adaptive challenges require new learning and can only be
tackled by changing people’s assumptions, beliefs,
habits, and allegiances.
Diagnose the system
Examine surface cultural norms and forces
Recognize Default Interpretations and Behaviors
Identify / Implement change
Name the elephant in the room
Create culture changing objectives and goals
Educate employees on why the change is necessary

15. Recommendations Survey participants say:
“Better hours for more time with family”
“Better maternity and paternity leave”
“Explicit support of gender-nonconforming individuals, a more active women in tech group. More actively engaging with problems facing women in tech”
“More women in leadership roles”
“Hiring more women, becoming less of a "boys club" “
“Follow up when the women are sent in the field. Make sure they have what they need, are able to perform their job, and are comfortable with the crews they are working with.”

16. Conclusion
“How are engineering companies in the Midwest incorporating or not incorporating leadership theories to accommodate the growing number of women and nonconforming gendered engineers entering the engineering industry?”
Some Companies have implemented policies that have created an inclusive environment while other companies have not.
The companies that have created an inclusive environment:
Tend to the needs of individual groups of peoples
Recognize how the emotions of it’s employees have an impact on employee commitment and behaviors
Name the elephant in the room.
A combination of the Adaptive Leadership Theory and Emotional Intelligence

17. References
Emeagwali, N. S. (2016). WOMEN IN STEM: Their Evolution, Triumphs and Challenges. Techniques: Connecting Education & Careers, 91(8),
Frehil, L. M. (2007). Are Women More or Less Likely than Men to be Retained in Engineering after College? The Society of Women Engineers National Survey about Engineering, 5-7. Retrieved February 9, 2017, from
Hatmaker, D. M. (2013). Engineering Identity: Gender and Professional Identity Negotiation among Women Engineers. Gender, Work & Organization, 20(4), doi: /j x
McKendall, S. B. (2000). The woman engineering academic: An investigation of departmental and institutional environments. Equity & Excellence In Education, 33(1), 26.