Discussion: View Thread

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Regarding the comments:

"I do not think a specific course needs to be offered.  I believe the best way of addressing Inclusion at an education level is to give people a chance to work together on projects in a mixed cultural environment.  Let the engineering students learn by working together that each of has strengths and weaknesses, and that these strengths and weaknesses have nothing to do with cultural or racial backgrounds.  Require students to work with those that are culturally different."

Of course, I may be dead-nuts wrong, but aren't the above comments ~almost~ what most . . .not all…Civil Engineering programs have been doing?

Can you imagine a group of CE students who had not yet been schooled in say, "Principles of Watershed Analysis," and  "Basic Hydraulics," being told to get together and determine a town's 7  year capital improvement plan?

"Ridiculous Proposition!" might be your first reaction.

Then what, pray tell, makes CEs believe the most highly complex natural element  on Planet Earth, P E O P L E, can simply be put together and "learn-by-failing" because they were never deliberately schooled about matters more complex than "Indeterminate Structural Analysis?"

Unless and until those who are charged with preparing our women and men to first understand themselves, and then what to do and how to do it with their engineering colleagues who have natural and different perspectives, "Throwing them into a work group and telling them to just make it happen" is evidence of  non-compos mentis.

p.s. BTW, I am confident that the statement "and that these strengths and weaknesses have nothing to do with cultural or racial backgrounds" was just a "Test" to see who else would realize these terms are by definition part of the commonly undefined reasons "Why good people do not play nice together."

Stay Healthy!

Cheers,

Bill

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Regarding the comments:

"I do not think a specific course needs to be offered.  I believe the best way of addressing Inclusion at an education level is to give people a chance to work together on projects in a mixed cultural environment.  Let the engineering students learn by working together that each of has strengths and weaknesses, and that these strengths and weaknesses have nothing to do with cultural or racial backgrounds.  Require students to work with those that are culturally different."

Of course, I may be dead-nuts wrong, but aren't the above comments ~almost~ what most . . .not all…Civil Engineering programs have been doing?

Can you imagine a group of CE students who had not yet been schooled in say, "Principles of Watershed Analysis," and  "Basic Hydraulics," being told to get together and determine a town's 7  year capital improvement plan?

"Ridiculous Proposition!" might be your first reaction.

Then what, pray tell, makes CEs believe the most highly complex natural element  on Planet Earth, P E O P L E, can simply be put together and "learn-by-failing" because they were never deliberately schooled about matters more complex than "Indeterminate Structural Analysis?"

Unless and until those who are charged with preparing our women and men to first understand themselves, and then what to do and how to do it with their engineering colleagues who have natural and different perspectives, "Throwing them into a work group and telling them to just make it happen" is evidence of  non-compos mentis.

p.s. BTW, I am confident that the statement "and that these strengths and weaknesses have nothing to do with cultural or racial backgrounds" was just a "Test" to see who else would realize these terms are by definition part of the commonly undefined reasons "Why good people do not play nice together."

Stay Healthy!

Cheers,

Bill

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

• Re: Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice.

To make an enduring difference to the primary benefit of the people who contribute to the success of professional design engineering firms, we collectively need to introduce new interpretations of familiar engineering management challenges. For such to occur, first we need to objectively give studied new perspectives, arguments, and applications for familiar issues.

Commitment to such an objective will not be solved by "Dusting off" familiar strategies from our "Yesterdays."

Request:

Based on one person's data-set for evaluation relative to "First Prepare The Foundation," please consider reviewing the attached information to learn what past studies reveal about behavioral preferences of women and men engineers when they are operating on their unquestioned intuitive, "Natural" preferences[1].

And "Yes," many have questioned the use of this tool as well as that of other such methods.

Historical Reflection:

Between 1986 to 1997, I had the honor of consulting with some of our top professional engineering firms, private and public sector, USA, Canada, Japan.

One of the early process steps was the survey of their employee's thoughts about a myriad of topics/issues they experienced at work (Headquarters & Regional). First, we did a sample test, received employee feedback, revised the survey, and then sent it to . . . literally. . . all employees, I was told the typical employee survey return-rate was generally about 5 to 12%. These surveys never fell below a 76% return.

In most firm's Executive Management Group, the most frequent question they had was "I don't get it, why don't they just come to me with their concerns?"

Q. What does this set of one person's information suggest as to why, what, and how you/me/us will plan to do, prior to simply releasing another set of lectures, videos, group chat sessions, circulating case studies, adding language to organizational "Purposes," conferences to encourage our people[2] to play nice together?

Stay Healthy!

Cheers,

Bill

[1] "Well, that's just how I see it!"

[2] The people include folks you did not grow up with, play with, date, go to services with, school, etc., etc., etc.

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

23JUL2020

Theme: To Continue Identifying the Non-Engineering Socio-Cultural Dimensions of Inclusion & Diversity.

Some brief background references for those who will lead socio-cultural behavioral change within the various ASCE business sectors, effectively and efficiently.

• "Hence, researchers building on a linear and culture determinist model of intercultural communication as transmission argue that communication problems arise when receivers interpret a message according to their own cultural frame of reference, which may be different to the intentions of the sender. This implies that messages, even when formulated in the same language, can be disturbed by culture, meaning that language barriers do not exist independently of cultural systems." [1]

• ·       POLITENESS AS A UNIVERSAL VARIABLE IN CROSS-CULTURAL MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION

Morand, David A

ISSN: 1055-3185 , 1055-3185

International journal of organizational analysis. , Vol.4(1), p.52-74

• ·       A comparative study of the influence of assertiveness on negotiation outcomes in Canada and China

Zhenzhong, Alfred a

ISSN: 1352-7606 , 1758-6089

Cross cultural management. , Vol.17(4), p.333-346

• Observation:

A question raised in a prior post stated:
Q. "What does this set of one person's information suggest as to why, what, and how you/me/us will plan to do, prior to simply releasing another set of lectures, videos, group chat sessions, circulating case studies, adding language to organizational "Purposes,"conferences to encourage our people[2]to play nice together?

 A. Right now, have those who will lead the study for resolving Tirza's Q1. begin a search for a diverse set of non-engineering professionals grounded in the art and science of socio-cultural matters. And then, assure their membership within this to be formed "ASCE Diversity & Inclusion Implementation Task Force".

Stay Healthy!   Cheers,  Bill

[1] "A critical analysis of intercultural communication research in cross-cultural management Introducing newer developments in anthropology." Toke Bjerregaard, Jakob Lauring and Anders Klitmøller Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark

• Re: Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice.

To make an enduring difference to the primary benefit of the people who contribute to the success of professional design engineering firms, we collectively need to introduce new interpretations of familiar engineering management challenges. For such to occur, first we need to objectively give studied new perspectives, arguments, and applications for familiar issues.

Commitment to such an objective will not be solved by "Dusting off" familiar strategies from our "Yesterdays."

Request:

Based on one person's data-set for evaluation relative to "First Prepare The Foundation," please consider reviewing the attached information to learn what past studies reveal about behavioral preferences of women and men engineers when they are operating on their unquestioned intuitive, "Natural" preferences[1].

And "Yes," many have questioned the use of this tool as well as that of other such methods.

Historical Reflection:

Between 1986 to 1997, I had the honor of consulting with some of our top professional engineering firms, private and public sector, USA, Canada, Japan.

One of the early process steps was the survey of their employee's thoughts about a myriad of topics/issues they experienced at work (Headquarters & Regional). First, we did a sample test, received employee feedback, revised the survey, and then sent it to . . . literally. . . all employees, I was told the typical employee survey return-rate was generally about 5 to 12%. These surveys never fell below a 76% return.

In most firm's Executive Management Group, the most frequent question they had was "I don't get it, why don't they just come to me with their concerns?"

Q. What does this set of one person's information suggest as to why, what, and how you/me/us will plan to do, prior to simply releasing another set of lectures, videos, group chat sessions, circulating case studies, adding language to organizational "Purposes," conferences to encourage our people[2] to play nice together?

Stay Healthy!

Cheers,

Bill

[1] "Well, that's just how I see it!"

[2] The people include folks you did not grow up with, play with, date, go to services with, school, etc., etc., etc.

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?

• "Drilling Down" To Anticipate  Basic Communication Variations Between You, and  One From A Different Culture:

23JUL2020

Theme: To Continue Identifying the Non-Engineering Socio-Cultural Dimensions of Inclusion & Diversity.

Some brief background references for those who will lead socio-cultural behavioral change within the various ASCE business sectors, effectively and efficiently.

• "Hence, researchers building on a linear and culture determinist model of intercultural communication as transmission argue that communication problems arise when receivers interpret a message according to their own cultural frame of reference, which may be different to the intentions of the sender. This implies that messages, even when formulated in the same language, can be disturbed by culture, meaning that language barriers do not exist independently of cultural systems." [1]

• ·       POLITENESS AS A UNIVERSAL VARIABLE IN CROSS-CULTURAL MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION

Morand, David A

ISSN: 1055-3185 , 1055-3185

International journal of organizational analysis. , Vol.4(1), p.52-74

• ·       A comparative study of the influence of assertiveness on negotiation outcomes in Canada and China

Zhenzhong, Alfred a

ISSN: 1352-7606 , 1758-6089

Cross cultural management. , Vol.17(4), p.333-346

• Observation:

A question raised in a prior post stated:
Q. "What does this set of one person's information suggest as to why, what, and how you/me/us will plan to do, prior to simply releasing another set of lectures, videos, group chat sessions, circulating case studies, adding language to organizational "Purposes,"conferences to encourage our people[2]to play nice together?

 A. Right now, have those who will lead the study for resolving Tirza's Q1. begin a search for a diverse set of non-engineering professionals grounded in the art and science of socio-cultural matters. And then, assure their membership within this to be formed "ASCE Diversity & Inclusion Implementation Task Force".

Stay Healthy!   Cheers,  Bill

[1] "A critical analysis of intercultural communication research in cross-cultural management Introducing newer developments in anthropology." Toke Bjerregaard, Jakob Lauring and Anders Klitmøller Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark

• Re: Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice.

To make an enduring difference to the primary benefit of the people who contribute to the success of professional design engineering firms, we collectively need to introduce new interpretations of familiar engineering management challenges. For such to occur, first we need to objectively give studied new perspectives, arguments, and applications for familiar issues.

Commitment to such an objective will not be solved by "Dusting off" familiar strategies from our "Yesterdays."

Request:

Based on one person's data-set for evaluation relative to "First Prepare The Foundation," please consider reviewing the attached information to learn what past studies reveal about behavioral preferences of women and men engineers when they are operating on their unquestioned intuitive, "Natural" preferences[1].

And "Yes," many have questioned the use of this tool as well as that of other such methods.

Historical Reflection:

Between 1986 to 1997, I had the honor of consulting with some of our top professional engineering firms, private and public sector, USA, Canada, Japan.

One of the early process steps was the survey of their employee's thoughts about a myriad of topics/issues they experienced at work (Headquarters & Regional). First, we did a sample test, received employee feedback, revised the survey, and then sent it to . . . literally. . . all employees, I was told the typical employee survey return-rate was generally about 5 to 12%. These surveys never fell below a 76% return.

In most firm's Executive Management Group, the most frequent question they had was "I don't get it, why don't they just come to me with their concerns?"

Q. What does this set of one person's information suggest as to why, what, and how you/me/us will plan to do, prior to simply releasing another set of lectures, videos, group chat sessions, circulating case studies, adding language to organizational "Purposes," conferences to encourage our people[2] to play nice together?

Stay Healthy!

Cheers,

Bill

[1] "Well, that's just how I see it!"

[2] The people include folks you did not grow up with, play with, date, go to services with, school, etc., etc., etc.

Many thanks to all who joined us for our Special Edition of Thursdays @ 3 - Engineering a Culture of Inclusion in the Face of Injustice. You can access the recording here. I wanted to share two questions that we were not able to discuss during the roundtable today and have asked our panelists to share their perspectives in the thread.

I look forward to continuing the conversation here.


Question 1:

Many universities offer course(s) on leadership, entrepreneurialism, professional development and ethics. How could these types of courses offer an opportunity for D & I topics? What are the most successful modalities for these topics? Case studies, books, articles, dialogue?

Question 2:

Hello, I'm an EIT at an old-school civil engineering firm. I'm also trying to find ways that I impact change in my company and its practices. I'm drafting a letter to the owners of my company asking them to first issue a statement of support to the black members of our company and community in a company-wide email. I'm framing the request as its the ethical responsibility of civil engineers to protect the public and look towards change when the systems we design fail to do this.  I would like to offer other actions that we as a company can take moving forward, like encouraging employees to get involved in volunteering opportunities in the community. What are your thoughts on these actions?