Discussion: View Thread

  • 1.  Lunch and Learn Topics

    Posted 01-08-2024 10:53 AM

    I recently took over the planning and coordination of our monthly in-house lunch and learns for our civil group. We do a lot of site development and subdivision work, and we are expanding our H&H work.

    Our lunch and learns are sometimes presented by someone in-house, and sometimes we bring in outside speakers.

    Do you have any recommendations for topics or speakers you've found to be beneficial?



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    Heidi C. Wallace, P.E., M.ASCE
    Tulsa, OK
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  • 2.  RE: Lunch and Learn Topics

    Posted 01-10-2024 06:10 PM

    Hey Heidi,

    One of my company's clients is a city water department. They used to have lunch and learns specifically so that the different groups, floors, and teams could better understand each other's roles and responsibilities. I really liked it because it helped me put pieces together as to why each group existed and what their needs and priorities were. Occasionally different groups would identify opportunities to share data, or work on something together to avoid essentially building the same tool or database twice. 

    So this is probably a very basic suggestion that you have already thought of, but a good place to start is to make sure your staff all know and understand the other parts of the company that they aren't always involved with, and get an idea of how all of those pieces work (or dont work) together. 



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    Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
    Civil Engineer
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  • 3.  RE: Lunch and Learn Topics

    Posted 01-10-2024 06:11 PM

    That's a great initiative Heidi!

    Some suggested topics:

    a. Speaking in public

    b. Phase-Gate Reviews

    c. Learning non-defensive communications within projects.

    Cheers,

    Bill



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    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
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  • 4.  RE: Lunch and Learn Topics

    Posted 01-10-2024 06:11 PM

    One more suggestion.

    Include other disciplines within these topics.

    Cheers,

    Bill



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    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
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  • 5.  RE: Lunch and Learn Topics

    Posted 01-16-2024 10:28 AM

    A suggestion is decision quality. See https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/article/2022/03/22/improve-your-civil-engineering-decision-making-process. I'm on the Houston ASCE Branch's agenda to speak on this topic at their March meeting. 



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    Mitch Winkler P.E.(inactive), M.ASCE
    Houston, TX
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