A Marvel of Engineering

As I drove home from work today I was listening to one of my favorite Podcasts, Stuff You Should Know. They made a reference to the Hoover Dam being a "marvel of engineering." I find that term a little ironic whenever I hear it, because engineering doesn't get a lot of good press. Engineers are a little bit like offensive linemen; when their name it called, it's almost never a good thing.

I gave a presentation a few years back at my company's internal technical exchange conference. One of my main points was that engineers should rule the world, but they don't. My presentation was on the stereotypical limitations of engineers, and what we need to do to overcome them. The challenge, at least in my view, is that most engineers have self-imposed limitations that they aren't interested in addressing. For example, many engineers feel that they are above working to schedules or worrying about business issues. And most engineers are afraid of conflict, unless it involves a technical discussion, in which case they are likely to seek out conflict. But ask them to confront a peer or subordinate about a work-related behavior, and watch them scurry out of sight.

Engineers should rule the world. But we don't. We let less qualified people make critical decisions, because we are afraid to step up and lead. As a profession, we need to stop acting like disinterested consultants and start living up to our potential.