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Lessons Learned from the Emerging Leaders Alliance
By Lynne Robinson
TMS
Posted on: 1/18/2010 12:00:00 AM... Preparing future engineering leaders for the challenges they will face in advancing their organizations within complex business and social environments is the intent of the Emerging Leaders Alliance, launched in 2008. A joint venture of leading engineering societies, the Alliance offers a comprehensive leadership development experience that culminates with a three-day Capstone Program. Admission into the program is competitive, with participants selected by the Alliance’s partner societies.

As a partner organization of the Alliance, TMS was proud to send three of its young leaders to the Capstone Program in October 2009. They were Amy Clarke, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Michele Manuel, University of Florida, and Don Siegel, University of Michigan.

Michele Manuel
“Participating in the Emerging Leaders Alliance truly exceeded my expectations,” said Manuel. “I found the ability to network with young leaders from the other major engineering societies to be tremendously beneficial. All of the participants demonstrated a passion for leadership and the need for managerial tools to translate their enthusiasm for the advancement of their own organizations. Networking with those who share a common career goal is infectious and energizing. I know that the relationships that were fostered at this meeting will result in long-term professional partnerships.”

Amy Clarke
Clarke said that the program helped her to examine her leadership style and equipped her for future challenges. “I am more aware of my leadership strengths and weaknesses and have identified areas for improvement that will result in personal growth, improve my ability to work effectively with others, and expand my future career opportunities,” she said.

This year’s program featured a newly developed online training component, while leadership exercises and presentations offered at the Capstone Program enabled participants to develop their personal leadership styles and hone their skills in such areas as conflict resolution, team building, and problem solving. Program participants also explored how to recognize and work with various social styles represented on a team and discussed ethical considerations that often confront leaders in engineering and science. An online community forum available to program attendees will enable them to continue learning from each other, as well as provide access to recommended leadership resource materials.

Don Siegel
“The most valuable aspect of the program was learning how to acknowledge the varied social styles of my peers,” said Siegel. “Much of what I do as an engineer and educator involves team-based activities. A successful team is likely to exhibit effective communication among its members. Since individuals communicate differently, it's essential to recognize—and adapt to—these differences for the team to function.

“This filled a gap in my social education,” he continued. “While I've had no shortage of technical training, I've had almost no training in how to navigate the ‘social landscape.’ For example, the ability to resolve conflict is a skill that has value in a variety of contexts. However, in my experience, training in skills such as these is not part of the conventional science and engineering curricula.”

Manuel said she also benefitted from the program’s emphasis on the impact of social styles on team leadership. “As an academic, I work in a very diverse multi-generational environment. I gained a better appreciation in how generational differences affect a person’s perception, understanding, and values,” she said. “Acknowledging and embracing these differences seems to be the key to a harmonious and productive work environment.”

The Emerging Leaders Alliance has been funded since its inception by the United Engineering Foundation. The partners in the Emerging Leaders Alliance are the American Institute of Chemical Engineers; the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; IEEE; the American Society of Civil Engineers; and the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers (AIME). AIME’s four member societies are also partners in the project, including the Association for Iron & Steel Technology; the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration; the Society of Petroleum Engineers; and TMS.

Applications for the 2010 program will start being accepted in the spring. For more information, go to the Emerging Leaders Alliance Web site.

Lynne Robinson is a news and feature writer for TMS.


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