Instructor: Local facilitator to be selected by coordinator

Note: Modules are intended for use by a Section, Branch or Younger Member Forum coordinator and presented at a local meeting. Modules are not intended for use by individuals as much of the content is based on group interaction. Access to all course materials will be provided to the coordinator following checkout. The coordinator is responsible for selection of a facilitator and organization of the meeting.

ASCE does not offer PDHs for this course.

Course Length: (3) 2-hour sessions OR (1) 6-hour session; based on coordinator/facilitator preference

Purpose and Background

It is not uncommon for young professionals or emerging engineers to find themselves lacking the leadership and management skills required to help them through the initial phases of their career. The Supercharge Your Career Series is a self-facilitated program that is designed to remedy this by providing a meaningful education experience for developing engineers working towards licensure as professional engineers, and also for those actively engaged in their professional development as practicing professional engineers. The program focuses on engineers with less than ten years’ experience, and is suitable for engineers following a variety of career paths. It touches on many of the core competencies as stated in the ASCE Body of Knowledge, and provides content that addresses the issues facing young engineers including globalization and advanced technology.

In the first module, Identifying, you will be introduced to the definition of change and of innovation to understand the distinction between the two. We will follow this with a fun interactive exercise that will put participants’ innovation skills to work. Next, we will explore the general sources of change. Afterwards, we will examine typical traits of effective change agents and sources of innovation. In conclusion, we will examine how to go about identifying opportunities.

In the second module, Packaging, you will be able to understand common barriers to change and innovation and to provide participants with ways to explain the idea in a well specified manner as well as how to list ways to garner support. We will first work on understanding the context of the change followed by learning how to recognize common barriers. Next, we will learn how to articulate the idea and build support. We will end with idea testing and work on an exercise to proof a concept.

In thethird module, Selling, you will identify common decision points for implementation, summarize the importance of action plans, and develop appropriate metrics to measure the effectiveness of proposed change. First, we will cover the topic of understanding decisions. Then we will discuss action plans and do an exercise where we will develop an action plan. The next topic will discuss measurement metrics and in conclusion we will cover implementation strategies for success.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Differentiate between change and innovation
• List common sources of change
• Employ traits of successful change agents
• Describe common opportunities for change and innovation

Seminar Benefits

• This highly interactive program format includes several practice exercises and materials to provide an on the spot review of the new understandings
• Understand the distinction between change and innovation
• This module will explore the general sources of change and typical traits of effective change agents
• The material will examine how to go about identifying opportunities

Topics Covered

• Change and innovation definition
• Sources of change
• Change agent traits
• Sources of Innovation
• Identifying Opportunities
• Understanding the context
• Recognizing common barriers
• Articulate the idea
• Building support
• Idea testing
• Understanding decisions
• Action plan
• Measurement metrics
• Implementation for success

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

• This program includes not less than 6 formal self-exercises situated at critical learning moments
• The presentation format is highly interactive, encouraging participants to share and discuss experiences as well as share thoughts and ideas and obtain feedback

Seminar Authors

The mission of the Committee on Leadership and Management (CLM) of the American Society of Civil Engineers is to advance the engineering profession by increasing civil engineers’ awareness of, and expertise in, leadership and management. To help fulfill this mission, CLM is developing the Supercharge Your Career Program for younger ASCE members that will target the development of professional practice skills. Contact the committee at professional@asce.org for information and assistance on this module.

Seminar Facilitation

This program is structured such that it can be presented at the local level by local instructors. It is packaged to incorporate all materials including instructor’s guides, participant guides, workshop materials, presentations, and feedback forms. Prospective facilitators can obtain the material by contacting ASCE. Specific program delivery guidance can be obtained at professional@asce.org.

Seminar Outline

Session I – IDENTIFYING

• Change and innovation definition
• Sources of change
• Change agent traits
• Sources of innovation
• Identifying opportunities

Session II: PACKAGING

• Understanding the context
• Recognizing common barriers
• Articulate the idea
• Building support
• Idea testing

Session III: SELLING

• Understanding decisions
• Action plan
• Measurement metrics
• Implementation for success