How would you like to change up your life in a positive way? Perhaps you are experiencing stress at work, or the daily grind feels monotonous many days. It is not uncommon to reach a lull in our careers and daily life, but with some small, intentional changes, we can alter the trajectory of our day and affect those around us in a truly positive manner! Here are 5 small ways to make a big impact in your daily work life:

Invest in relationships with your coworkers. One of the best ways to improve our outlook on life is to connect with others. Start a conversation with a new employee in your office, or invite a fellow coworker to lunch. Recruit a group to play basketball at lunch, or play some golf with a client on the weekend. Learning more about our peers helps to understand their perspectives and develop mutual respect for one another. Finding common interests with others helps build friendships and makes going to work more enjoyable.

Show gratitude. Even in the most dire of circumstances, there is much to be thankful for. If we focus on the positives, the more positives we will see. Saying “thank you” actually tends to make us more thankful, and fosters goodwill toward those to whom we show our appreciation. Everyone wishes to be noticed and applauded for their service, so why not be the catalyst in your office to make gratitude a daily habit?

Get up and move! As often as possible, get away from your desk and move around. Ask your boss if you can discuss a future project while taking a walk around the building property. Stand up in your office if you are stuck on a long conference call. Take the stairs when possible. Any amount of activity and being outdoors can improve, not only our health, but also our attitude. Being outside has been shown to improve your immunity, combat depression, and lower stress levels. So set a timer, and do some pushups … you might just gain more than muscle!

Listen to music. While this may not be conducive to every office situation, when possible, adding music to your daily routine can be just the change you need to energize your day. Listening to your local radio station may help you feel more connected to what is happening in your local community, and the effects of music have long been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and even enhance learning and memory. Upbeat music has been shown to improve athletic performance and lift spirits. There is no downside to listening to music, so turn up the volume and grab some headphones, if needed!

Eat a healthy lunch. With so much excess noise about fad diets, good and bad carbs, and saturated fat, it is hard to decide what is and what isn’t healthy nowadays. But most experts would agree that eating fruits and vegetables are key to a healthy diet. Focus on incorporating as many fruits and veggies as possible, in place of common processed snack foods, and you will reap the benefits of the added fiber and complex sugars that will keep you from feeling an afternoon crash!

Not all of these suggestions may work for every situation; however, focusing on one or two small changes can be enough to brighten the horizon and change your mindset. So instead of dwelling on big changes that seem unmanageable, start small, and see what a big impact you can make on yourself and others around you!

In an effort to “Pay It Forward,” SE University is happy to announce our “SEU Speaker Inspires” program in which our speakers can designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Sam Rubenzer, P.E., S.E.
FORSE Consulting

In May 2016, Sam Rubenzer, P.E., S.E., from FORSE Consulting gave a talk on Masonry Analysis and Design with FEA Software for SE University. He chose Engineering Ministries International (www.emiworld.org/donate.php) for the donation of the month.

Sam said the following about Engineering Ministries International, “EMI is willing to take on a very important role in restoring hope to poor and desolate areas of the world. The work that I was fortunate enough to be involved with at EMI was challenging as we attempted to use state of the art analysis and design tools, while anticipating the limited construction methods and techniques in these remote and impoverished areas. EMI is true to their vision of ‘designing a world of hope for the physically and spiritually poor’ and I am grateful to be able to support them.”

Thank you, Sam, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of Engineering Ministries International as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

In an effort to “Pay It Forward,” SE University is happy to announce our “SEU Speaker Inspires” program in which our speakers can designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Otto J. Schwarz, P.E., S.E.
Ryan Biggs | Clark Davis

In April 2016, Otto J. Schwarz, P.E., S.E., from Ryan Biggs | Clark Davis gave a talk on Evaluation and Repair of Precast and Post-Tensioned Concrete Parking Structures for SE University. He chose the North Carolina State University Department of Civil Engineering (www.ce.ncsu.edu) for the donation of the month, as he received a great deal from this program in pursuit of his master’s degree.

In remembering his time spent in the NC State Department of Civil Engineering, Otto recalled, “The type of experience provided at their Constructed Facilities Laboratory is extremely valuable for young engineers pursuing a career in Structural Engineering or materials science. Also, I owe an immense amount to Dr. Mike Lemming for providing an in-depth, practical, and functional knowledge of concrete chemistry and physical properties.”

Thank you, Otto, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the North Carolina State University Department of Civil Engineering as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

In an effort to “Pay It Forward,” SE University is happy to announce our “SEU Speaker Inspires” program in which our speakers can designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Aldo E. McKay, PE
Protection Engineering Consultants

In March 2016, Aldo E. McKay, PE, from Protection Engineering Consultants gave a talk on Implementation of the ISC Physical Security Design Requirements for Federal Buildings for SE University. He chose the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund (www.jimmyv.org/stuartscott) for the donation of the month. This fund is a part of the Jimmy V Foundation but focuses on cancer research for minority groups.

Aldo said the following about the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund, “I have been touched by cancer like many people. As an engineer, I have seen how research helps us improve the way we design, analyze and build infrastructure. I truly believe that with our current technology, it is just a matter of time before a cure for cancer can be found. If we support cancer researchers, it will expedite the process of taking the cure from test tubes to patients more quickly.”

Thank you, Aldo, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

To read the full article with more details on the suggestions, please click here.
I highly recommend subscribing to Craig’s blog (there is no cost) and he has some great suggestions.

by Lisa Willard, PE

Recently my daughter was brought into the School Counselor’s office to discuss something that had happened in one of her classes between two other students. She was telling me about it that evening, and after going over the entire situation, I told her that I had 3 rules for her to help her be successful in school (and hopefully life!).

1. Be kind

2. Don’t be part of the problem

3. If you have a problem, try to solve it yourself, if you can

A few days after this conversation, I was thumbing through Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, and I ran across a page titled, “How can I be more positive at work?” I have written about the Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude before on our SE University Blog .  I appreciate the idea of having a positive, or YES! Attitude; I believe that people generally want to be around those who are positive, and this can lead to new opportunities. I was encouraged to read from his list of 12.5 Attitude Actions the following items that mirrored my rules for my daughter:

Be kind

3. Be willing to do for others without measuring

4. Be willing to help others without measuring

Don’t be part of the problem

7. Don’t join the bashing

8. Don’t join the pity party

9. Don’t join the revolt

If you have a problem, try to solve it yourself, if you can

10. Solve, rather than complain

If you’d like a chance to read the rest of this list (it’s on page 101), tell us one of your Attitude Actions for being more positive at work (or school) in the comments below. We’ll select one person at random, who’ll receive a copy of the Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude.

In an effort to “Pay It Forward,” SE University is happy to announce our “SEU Speaker Inspires” program in which our speakers can designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Dave K. Adams
BWE

In February 2016, Dave K. Adams, SE, from BWE gave a talk on Ethics for Structural Engineers: Lessons in Negligence and Incompetence for SE University. He chose the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Structural Engineering Scholarship Fund (https://giveto.ucsd.edu/ – giving option 2337), for the donation of the month. This fund assists undergraduate students studying structural engineering in the Jacobs School of Engineering.

Dave chose UCSD for his SEU Speaker Inspires donation because he would like to help make it possible for more students to attend UCSD and study structural engineering.

Thank you, Dave, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the UCSD Structural Engineering Scholarship Fund as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

In an effort to “Pay It Forward,” SE University is happy to announce our “SEU Speaker Inspires” program in which our speakers can designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Emily Guglielmo, SE Martin/Martin, Inc.

In November 2015, Emily Guglielmo, SE, from Martin/Martin, Inc., gave a talk on Clarifying Frequently Misunderstood Seismic Provisions for SE University. She chose the UCLA Civil Engineering Department (www.cee.ucla.edu), where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, for the donation of the month.

Emily said the following about UCLA Civil and Environmental Engineering, “UCLA CEE gave me an excellent background in civil engineering and a launching pad to specializing in structures. The professors were excellent mentors who helped guide me through college and into the field of engineering.”

Thank you, Emily, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the UCLA Civil Engineering Department as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

I found several helpful tips in the podcast.  To access the podcast, please click here.

by Cathleen Jacinto, SE, PE

How can an engineering office ensure it is a place where its employees love what they do?

Those who have chosen to be structural engineers, as with many other professions, are inspired. They persevere through academia and licensure examinations for a reason. Many times, they have a passion to contribute to the built environment.

Do your engineers currently still feel the same amount of inspiration and perseverance that they did when they first began their careers? Are they still doing the work they love? If not, when did you notice a shift? The Ted talk discussed in last month’s newsletter titled “How to Find Work You Love” by Scott Dinsmore was a great reminder to check in and ask these questions. If the answer to any of the above questions was no, how can we cultivate the inspiration and motivation that was likely inherent in many of us at the beginning of our careers?

Below are a few potential ideas to ‘jumpstart’ motivation and positive morale in an engineering office. While some may require a financial investment, some are very simple to implement without any cost.

1. “Which projects do you want to work on?” Believe it or not, many engineers are not asked this question. Remember that we do what we do because we are inspired. Listen to what inspires your team members, and you may be surprised by how well they do in what they love to do.
2. Does each employee have adequate resources to do their job? If you hold an engineer accountable for a role, do they have the means and appropriate authority to execute? For example, if they are expected to manage a project, do they participate in staffing and budget decisions as needed to fulfill their role?
3. Regular team meetings: Clear communication regarding workload, tasks, and timelines should be transparent within a team. Effective weekly meetings are a great platform to confirm project delivery and to foster input from team members in making sound decisions.
4.  Complete execution of employee annual reviews: An honest conversation between an employer and employee, and follow-through on the talking points are essential. It is best to be in constant open communication throughout the year, but with busy schedules or different personality traits, this may not always occur. The annual review is the set time when employees and employers speak openly and constructively. Both parties taking action on agreed plans is equally as important in developing a clear career path.
5. Celebrate as goals are achieved: Recognition and the power of ‘thank you’ is highly motivating and creates mutual respect within a team. Timing is also key. It should be a priority to show appreciation to team members immediately after a deadline where individuals have gone above and beyond.
6.  Mentor programs: Mentoring is an effective way to switch interpersonal relationships from possibly non-communicative to teaching and fostering. One way this can be done is to pair a senior engineer with a younger engineer where they are able to meet for work lunches. Is there an engineer who has inspired you? Do you seek to be that person for another?
7. Offer opportunities for additional learning: Provide a variety of ways for staff to continually learn as a structural engineer, even if the learning is in areas outside of your typical project types. This can lead to a boost in morale as engineers know that their companies are investing in them. There are a wide variety of learning opportunities readily available to structural engineers.

We hope that the ideas presented above provide some ways to motivate your team, and make a difference in your office.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”- Robert Louis Stevenson

We would love to hear of ways your office has been able to make positive strides!