Note from Pat: Today’s post is part of a collaboration I’m doing with the kind folks at Rogers (www.RogersCorp.com) to celebrate

Photo credit: Flickr/ VinothChandar

National Engineers Week. Rogers is a world leader in high-tech innovative materials. You’ll note below that the post they’ve written has a number of questions on how to overcome technical leadership challenges. If you head on over to the Rogers blog (blog.rogerscorp.com) I’ve answered all these questions in a follow-up post. I hope you enjoy the post, and that you have a fantastic National Engineers Week!

National Engineers Week, February 17-23, honors engineering professionals, students, and educators for their contributions to many aspects of our everyday lives.  Many of the roles that come to mind for engineering professionals include developing new technologies, maintaining health and safety in the environment, and improving the materials we rely on.

Another major role for engineering professionals is leadership.  When you think of a leader, what do you picture?  Perhaps a CEO inspiring a company to reach its goals or a manager advising a team of professionals on a large project.  Leadership is important in all of these roles, whether directed at one thousand people or just one.  Demonstrating an organized, goal-driven attitude is at the core of leadership in any situation.

Leadership also comes with challenges, and when combined with an engineering role, a unique set of hurdles can arise.

Technical language barrier.  Working with team members from other departments can present a host of communication challenges.  If your everyday routine requires technical jargon and shorthand, it can be difficult to drop these habits when working with others outside your department.  As a leader, how can you get members of an interdepartmental team speaking the same language?

Setting (and reaching) team goals.  Just over a month into 2013, many of us can still recall the resolutions we set on January 1.  Have we stuck to them?  If not, why?  In many cases, setting a goal for a project is the easiest part.  Establishing a schedule and staying on track to reach that goal are the big challenges.  As a leader, how can you keep your team of engineers moving toward the finish line?

Team member to team leader.  Many of us have a role we prefer when working in a team.  Some naturally gravitate toward a leadership position while others would rather take direction.  In situations when there isn’t a choice, however, it can be daunting to find yourself in the opposite role.  How can a team player get inspired to take the lead?

See the response post from leadership and engineering expert Pat Sweet, author of the popular Engineering and Leadership blog.  In his blog, Pat will explore these questions and offer leadership advice for engineers on how to best approach these workplace challenges.

Join Pat (@engileader) and @RogersCorpHR on Twitter for a live tweet chat about leadership and engineering, Friday February 22 at 2:00pm EST.  Use hashtag #EngineerLeader to join in the conversation.

Be sure to follow Rogers Human Resources on Facebook and Twitter for more about National Engineers Week, career tips, and opportunities at Rogers Corporation.  Visit the Rogers Career Center and check out our blog for more about careers at Rogers.