Engineers role in National Development

Management, Behavioral & Social Sciences

25th January 2017

ENGINEER IN SOCIETY
Eng. Gamini Nanda Gunawardana
Managing Director SAGA Resource Development Consultants Ltd.
 Prince Philip says engineers perform such as
essential function that it is hard to imagine the life
without them. The Duke of Edinburgh has praised the
vital work of engineers, saying that everything not
invented by God is invented by an engineer.
- Jan 2, 2016
 What WAS Engineering?
Function
Producing something that makes our lives better
whether thats a new games console, high-tech
sports equipment or quicker, greener and safer travel
Cost
Finding out what people need, developing ideas and
seeing how products can be made at a good price
Safety
Developing the product on time and running tests to
make sure its safe and reliable
Engineering is Everywhere
 Engineers Profile
Logical, methodical, objective, and make rational
decisions based on facts.

Use technical knowledge to ensure the validity of

information.

Can analyze technical problems and explore

alternative solutions.

Can engage in cost effective technology planning.

Inspiring Leadership through attributed abilities,

skills, and knowledge.
 Engineer Wears Many Hats

Leave Clerk Technical Expert Entrepreneur

Store Keeper Technical Consultant Business Leader
Supervisor Technocrat??? Opinion maker
Task Master Technopreneur ??? Policy Maker
National Leader
An Entrepreneur?
An individual runs a business and
assumes all the risk and reward of a
given business venture, idea, or
good or service offered for sale. The
entrepreneur is commonly seen as a
business leader and innovator of
new ideas and business processes.

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A technoprenuer
- is an entrepreneur who is technology savvy,
creative, innovative, dynamic, dares to be
different and take the unexplored path, and
very passionate about their work. They take
challenges and strive to lead their life with
greater success. They don't fear to fail. They
take failure as a learning experience, a
stimulator to look things differently and stride
for next challenge..
 Believe in You
Ive missed more than 9,000
shots in my career.
Ive lost almost 300 games.
Twenty-six times Ive been
trusted to take the
game-winning shot, and
missed.
Ive failed over and over and
over again in my life. And
thats why I succeed.
- Michael Jordan -
What IS Engineering?
Planet
Management of renewable and non renewable resources
while reducing waste.

Profit
Financial benefit
enjoyed by the
majority of society.

People
Fair practices for all people and does not exploit
interest of separate parties based on money, status or
growth.
 Because engineers have the skills to bring their
visions to fruition, the engineer is both an
arrowsmith and archer, shaping the future direction
of society.

Engineers bear a responsibility to consider both

nontechnical and technical solutions to societal
challenges.

The key question for the engineer is:

What kind of society am I creating?
I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep;
I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.
Alexander the Great 12
 How to be a Leader
Leadership journey have 5 major passages

Each passage represents a major career transition

in Corporate
Governance

Passage 1 Self Management

Functional
Integration
Passage 2 Task Management
Leading
Passage 3 Leading Others Others

Passage 4 Functional Integration Task

Management

Passage 5 Corporate Governance

Self
Management

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Role alignment to challenges and capabilities

1. Set and communicate vision and strategy

2. Align and energize the organization to
accomplish Business goals
3. Ensure & appreciate HR development is

Excellence
Strategic
a business priority.

People Excellence
1. Translate and implement corporate
strategy
2. Cross functional collaboration and
positive relationship building.

1. Coach, motivate and grow people and

teams
2. Inspire business Final Review through
people
1. Achieve operational objectives
2. Engage in problem solving, delegation,
time and resource management

Operational
3. Provide feedback to ensure effective

Excellence
contributions.

1. Self Awareness
2. Ability control behaviors and emotions.
3. Adapt to dynamic situations
4. Strive for personal excellence.

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CHALLENGES ROLES CAPABILITIES
 Engineer Wears Many Hats

Technical Expert Technopreneur

Technocrat Business Leader
Technical Consultant Policy Maker
National Leader
 Sustainable Leadership
Sustainable
Leadership

Mind

Skills Behavior

16
HEY WHERE AM I? 17
TRANSFORMATION
ORIENTATION
TECHNOPRENEUR

TRANSACTION
ORIENTATION
ENGINEER

18
 LEADERSHIP PROCESS
Strategy Domain Communication
Domain
1. 2.
Developing Sharing the
the vision Goals

4. 3.
Delivering Gaining
Success Support

Operational People Domain

Domain

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 Leadership Roles
Competencies
Functions Transformational
Transactional Focus
Focus
Analyzing & Interpreting Creating & Conceptualizing
Developing the vision - Writing & reporting - Learning & researching
1 - Creating & Innovating
The Strategy domain - Applying expertise & technology
- Analyzing - Formulating strategies & concepts

Interacting & Presenting

Sharing the Goals Adapting & Coping - Relating & networking
2 The Communication - Adapting & responding to change - Persuading & influencing
domain - Coping with pressures & setbacks - Presenting & communicating
information

Gaining Support Supporting & Cooperating Leading & Deciding

3 - Working with people - Deciding & initiating action
The People domain - Adhering to principles & values - Leading & supervising

Enterprising & Performing

Organizing & Executing
Delivering Success - Achieving personal work goals &
- Planning & organizing
4 objectives
The Operational domain - Delivering results & meeting customer
- Entrepreneurial and commercial
expectations
thinking 20
LEADERSHIP ROLES
TRANSFORMATION

TRANSACTIONS

21
 Sustainable Business Leadership
Sustainable
Leadership

Mind

Skills Behavior

22
Entrepreneurial Mind Set
1.Forever curious.

2. Always open to new things.

3.Embrace ambiguity.

4.Finding and transferring principles.

5.Searching for integrity.

6. Self confidence in Problem Solving.

7.Able to visualize other worlds.

8.Think the opposite.

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 Barriers to change
Professional MIND SET
25
LEFT BRAIN - RIGHT BRAIN CONFLICT

Engineer Technopreneur

26
 Analytical Vs. Intuitive
Descartes Thinking

Everything is divided into

elements

The elements can be replaced

The partial can solve the whole

The sum of parts is whole

Theory of Machine World

Not Organic World 27
Engineers -> Business Leaders
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and
the rational mind is a faithful servant.
We have created a society that honors
the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein

A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It

makes the hand bleed that uses it.
- Rabindranath Tagore

Resource Person - Gamini Nanda Gunawardana

 Sustainable Leadership
Sustainable
Leadership

Mind

Skills Behavior

29
 Paradigm Shift from Engineer to Technocrat
Specialist To Understand the models, tools, and terms used in key
disciplines including law and economics
Generalist Basis of evaluating the stake holder needs

Analyst To Integrate multi disciplinary teams

Make appropriate trade-offs to solve complex policy
Integrator trade offs

Tactician To Shift fluidly between the details & the larger picture
Anticipate & influence the reactions of key external
Strategist players

Bricklayer To Understand & design systems to be in harmony

Architect Harness synergy to make needed country changes

Problem Solver To Prioritize the problems the country should focus

Address issues that may not fall into concern domain
Diplomat but are still important

Warrior To Proactively shape the policy objectives by influencing

key external constituencies
Diplomat
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Leadership Focus Model
Communication
Strategic Excellence Excellence
Entrepreneurial Ability Customer focus
Market Awareness Communication
Creating & Innovation Relating &
Corporate Citizenship Networking
Presenting

Operational Excellence
People Excellence
Planning &Flexibility
Managing &
Decision Making &
Developing people
Taking Responsibility
Team Collaboration
Influence & Impact
Team Leadership
Striving for excellence

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 Time and Task Management
The Urgent/Important Matrix
 Effective Team Building
Team formation takes
time, and usually
follows some easily
recognizable stages,
as the team journeys
from being a group of
strangers to
becoming united
team with a common
goal.

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 Effective Meetings

Start and End Time

Stated Purpose and
Objective
Introductions and Clarify
Roles
Agenda
Time Keeper
Ground Rules
Designated Facilitator
Sustainable Business Leadership
Sustainable
Leadership

Mind

Skills Behavior

35
THE PRACTICES OF EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP

Model the Way

Inspire a Shared Vision

Challenge the Process

Enable Others to Act

Encourage the Heart

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Talking to a policy-maker
about the Optimal
National Policy is like
talking to an engineer
about a Perpetual
Motion Machine; it is
an interesting
intellectual exercise, but
it has little practical
value.
 Engineers in Policy Making
Engineers
Limited Influence
Product Oriented
Deep Subject Knowledge
Expert Opinion Matters
Decisions based on verified
facts
Verify facts and draw their
own conclusions
Partisan Interests
Creating Ideas and
technologies
See the trees
Policy Makers
Deprived of knowledge
Process Oriented
Broad Subject Knowledge
Majority Opinion Matters
Decisions on interests of a
broad spectrum of society
Trusted sources of ideas
and opinion
Partisan Inputs
Creating Laws
See the forest
On the surface it makes sense that only those
who fully understand the complexities of a
technology who know what it can and cannot
do are qualified to make decisions about its
larger health and societal effects.

As technological advances increase, it is

apparent more than ever before that
professional engineers need to take a
leadership role in the sustainable
development, application and use of
technology.

In turn, legislators and regulators should heed

the advice of the technologists and develop
and enforce appropriate laws and prohibitions.
Paradigm Shift from Engineer to Technocrat
Paradigm Shift - a radical change in accepted Technocrat - a scientist or technical expert
perspective, underlying beliefs or theory who has a lot of power in politics or industry
 SAGA Resource Development Consultants (Pvt.) Limited
16/72, Gramodaya Mawatha, Kalalgoda Road,
Pannipitiya 10230, Sri Lanka.
Tel /Fax : (+9411) -7203535, 077- 5368068,
E-mail : gamining@gmail.com Web : www.sagardc.com
Company Reg. No. : PV 72089

Eng. Gamini Nanda Gunawardana

B.Sc. Eng. (Hons.); M.B.A.; C.Eng.; F.I.E. (SL); M.C.S. (SL); M.I.D.P.M. (UK);
F.I.A.P. (UK); M.B.C.S. (UK); C.T.M.
Chartered Engineer, Corporate Director,
HR, Management & ICT Consultant,
Corporate Trainer, Thought Leader