Understanding Engineers 201 Resolving Communication Issues

1. Understanding Engineers 201 Resolving Communication Issues WFOAAnnual 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) • Prioritizing Projects Political Will Political Will Political Will 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

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

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

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

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

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

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 IDENTIFY PLAN IMPLEMENT EVALUATE “Style flex is not about changing the other person; it’s about changing yourself.” Bolton

16. People Styles Summary

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