An Engineer as A Manager and a Leader

How Can an Engineer as A Manager or A Leader Creates an Ethical Climate?

Engineer As  Manager Or Leader
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 The engineers are the professional technocrats who have the specific knowledge in the specific field of engineering. Sometimes he/she played different roles- as an employee of an organization, a professional, a member of different social and professional bodies etc. An engineer joins as an employee in an organization but he/she may play the role of a manager or a leader. As a human being he/she has to carry social or organizational responsibilities. 

 An engineer as manager leads a team related to engineering works comparing the company’s vision. He/she also scheduled the task to the team and give inspiration. As a mentor, he also maintains the team activities and evaluates the job performance of the members.

 There are difference between the engineer as a manager, project manager and the tech leader. The project manager only executes and manages the project, not leads or controls a team. The tech leader is responsible for developing codes.

Differences Between Leaders and Managers:

The differences between Leaders and Managers are :
Leaders                                            Managers
i)Innovate                                        i)Administer
ii)Develop                                        ii)Maintain
iii)Inspire                                         iii)Control
iv)Originate                                      iv)Imitate
v)Change the status quo                    v)Accept the status quo

Characteristics of an Effective Manager:

According to Peter Drunker, the effective managers can follow the practices:

i)They can manage the time effectively.

ii)They focus on achieving results and overall development of the organization.

iii)They play a vital role of empowering the organizational strength including themselves, staffs and superiors.

iv)They do one task at a time to get effective results.

v)They analyze the facts and information effectively and after that take the confirm decision.

(Source: Druker Peter;The Effective Executives;Harper Collins;1996)

The Responsibilities of the Engineers as A Manager are-

i)Direct involvement with management

ii)Regarding production and conceptual design related to product's usefulness;

iii)Regarding product specification as it meets to the standards and codes;

iv)To think over the safety of workplace, free from toxic fumes and pollution;

v)To supervise the familiarity of group members with projects and basic knowledge of products;

vi)To take proper attention on training and development for group members to grow their level of competency;

vii)To analyze the resource allocation;

viii)To analyze the market demand.  

He/She uses the following Methodology to analyze a Situation: 

i)Identify the truth

ii)Identify the principles

iii)Identify the stockholders

iv)Identify the alternatives

v)Identify the cost of achievements.

He/She naturally follows the following Ethical Principles-

i)Golden rule: The golden rule follows the ethical principle. It implies that one can treat a person sifted himself to his/her position or condition and judgments are to be taken considering as oneself wished to be judged.

ii)Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative: If any action is not applicable for all, it is not applicable to individual.

iii)Descartes’ Rule of Change: If any action is give off repeatedly, and then it is right to give off for ever.

iv)Utilitarianism: This principle guides to take any action that is good for common.

v)Risk Aversion: Such action is to be taken that achieves the highest  value with least potential cost. Sometimes, the failure cost is extremely high with least probability of failure.

 As a manager, an engineer can produce the legal, useful and least harmful products and services. He can carry the professional responsibilities, related to organization and environment. His decisions would not be in such way which incurred high expense for organization. He/ she can deal socially expected behavior with the group members. He / she can promote the ethical climate in an organization minimizing the conflicts of the subordinates.

Qualities of a Good Leader:

i)High skill of problem solving

ii)Ability to understand human behavior

iii)Ability to inspire others

iv)Emotional maturity

v)Verbal assertiveness

vi)High risk taking willingness

vii)Devotion and dedication to organizational goals

viii)High skill in the art of compromise

The Responsibilities of the Engineers as a Leader are 

1.He/she develops the organizational vision and mission which help to develop the organizational values.
2.The organizational vision and mission objected to the Corporate social responsibility(CSR) and Societal Mission. 
3.He/she develops the Organizational Culture giving stress on the development of the individual value and overall collective values.
4.He/she builds organizational environment encompassed with safety, honesty, loyalty, stability and trust.  
 Regarding the discussion of the values of the leaders, Subhas Sharma expresses the concept of corporate VEDA; V-Vision, E-Enlightenment, D-Devotion, A-Action(Sharma Subhas;Towards Corporate Veda: Indian Ethos and Corporate Development; Journal of Human Values;9(2)pp.163-171). In the earlier trend, thethe values of the leader were reflected in the concept of LIGHT, L-Love, I- Light, G- Goodness, H- Harmony, T- Truth. 
 In conclusion, it is considered that as a leader, an engineer creates an ethical climate. He/she develops value aided organizational vision, mission and policies establishing consistent behavior and action.
 As an effective manager he/she will focus overall development and strength of the organization with proper controlling the time. They can do single task at a time to get effective result. Their decision making would be after analyzing the facts and information systematically. Their effective contributions are related to direct results, enhancement of values of the organization and creation of future managers.