A STUDY ON THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN ENGINEERING &

MANAGEMENT EDUCATION
Er. Tinku Gangwar Prof.(Dr.) Pankaj Kumar Sharma
Department of Computer Science and Engineering Department of Electronics and Communication
RIMT, Bareilly RIMT,Bareilly.

ABSTRACT:

The motive of this research Paper is to bridge the gap between literature about leadership studies and
engineering education to develop future engineering leaders. The paper focuses upon the hindrances
that are faced in integrating leadership programs in the engineering circular. To this end, the chapter
employed qualitative methodology under which it reviewed literature on multiple lines such as
identifying significance of leadership for engineering students, identification of leadership practices and
skills taught to engineering students, and the way this can be improved. Key findings of chapter
emphasized on leadership as an important skill for future engineers thus demanding need for equipping
engineers with skills needed to become an effective leader. It is found that having engineers to develop
leadership skills will enable them to perform their role effectively, effectively allocate and utilize
available resources. Thus, the Paper recommends integration of leadership knowledge and skills in
engineering curricula through usage of variety of tools such as experiential learning and self-awareness.

Keywords: Leadership, Engineering, Management

Engineering projects are typically quite complex—even when they’re on a modest scale. Many different
disciplines and technical specialties are required to achieve the desired results and ensure a satisfactory
level of reliability. To bring these different specialties together and keep them aligned with the same
goal, engineering projects need someone to offer leadership.

As such, developing leadership skills is an important way for engineering professionals to add value to
the projects they work on; what’s more, leadership skills can position engineers for career advancement,
allowing them to assume supervisory roles and increased decision-making authority. One way to learn
more about leadership in engineering is to pursue an advanced education from a program such as an
online Master of Engineering Management.

 What Is Leadership in Engineering?

Engineering teams are generally given very specific instructions for each project: they must meet all
client specifications; complete the project on time; stay on budget; and offer every reasonable
assurance of safety, durability, and quality control. Accomplishing all this means harnessing different
engineering professionals’ distinct expertise and keeping them focused on the shared goal. This is the
engineering leader’s primary duty.

The Responsibilities of an Engineering Leader

Specifically, an engineering leader’s responsibilities may be divided into the following categories:

 Managing people. Any engineering team is staffed with individuals representing different
disciplines and areas of professional focus. Part of the leader’s job is guiding and motivating
these diverse employees, ensuring that all individuals achieve at the highest level of their ability.
 Managing teams. Engineering leaders not only nurture individuals’ talents and abilities but also
create team cohesion and unity. For example, leaders may set goals and remind team members
of those goals. Leaders also clarify expectations and hold team members accountable.
 Managing projects. Engineering leaders must communicate with clients, ensuring that they
understand the project specifications while also highlighting any issues, obstacles, or changes
that arise.

Styles of Leadership in Engineering And Management

Engineers have more than one way to lead their teams. Consider four of the most common approaches
to leadership in engineering.

1. Autocratic

Autocratic leaders make decisions by themselves and expect the rest of the team to go along with them.
An autocratic style doesn’t lend itself to collaboration, but it may sometimes be the best approach,
particularly when urgent deadlines demand that decisions be made right away.

2. Democratic

Democratic leaders solicit input from those who report to them and welcome the whole team’s
participation. Democratic leaders foster work environments where everyone feels free to speak up,
voice an opinion, and contribute to the group. This leadership style is best suited for situations in which
decisions aren’t as urgent.

3. Laissez-Faire

Laissez-faire leaders take more of a “hands-off” approach, allowing team members to make decisions for
themselves. This leadership style can be a good way to handle employees who are experienced and who
have proven themselves trustworthy, though leaders must still set clear expectations and monitor
progress.
 4. Transformational

Transformational leaders use their charisma to inspire and motivate their employees, encouraging team
members to be confident in what they do. Generally, the transformational leadership style is best suited
for dynamic, highly interactive work environments.

5. No One-Size-Fits-All

A crucial note about leadership in engineering is that no one “correct” way to approach it exists. Rather,
engineering leaders may wish to adapt their leadership style to the project at hand.

 Leadership Skills for Engineering Managers

To be effective leaders, engineers must cultivate several essential skills and professional traits.

 Key Skills

The most foundational leadership skills include the following:

1. Communication: Leaders need to know how to set a vision and convey expectations. At the
same time, they must know how to actively listen to their team members’ concerns.
2. Decision-making: After seeking feedback from clients and team members, leaders must
ultimately feel confident in making informed decisions and conveying them to those who report
to them.
3. Teamwork: Leaders should be prepared to foster cohesive team environments, both by example
and by trusting those who report to them.
4. Honing Skills: While these skills may be strengthened and refined through professional
experience, aspiring engineering leaders may start to cultivate them in school. Ohio University’s
online Master of Engineering Management and engineering leadership certificate programs
offer an opportunity to hone the skills that contribute to optimal, efficient project management
and team building.

 Start Developing Engineering Leadership Skills

To lay the foundation for successful leadership in an engineering career, consider Ohio University. The
school’s online Master of Engineering Management is an advanced degree for engineers looking to
move into leadership. The curriculum includes such courses as Lean Thinking Methods, Engineering Law,
and Foundations of Engineering Management.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow also offers graduate certificates in engineering
management, engineering leadership, certified Lean Six Sigma, and engineering analytics, all of which
can provide the skills and competencies necessary to assume higher levels of responsibility in the
engineering and Management world.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The purpose of this editorial was to outline and discuss how management and organization s cholars
might meet the intensifying pressures to produce societally useful and impactful research. To that effect,
we highlighted five forms of impact – scholarly, practical, policy, societal, and educational – and
suggested steps for achieving each form of impact. Although we have discussed these five areas
somewhat discretely, we believe that it is not only possible but appropriate for scholars to seek to
achieve impact across several of these areas. Indeed, we have illustrated how impact in one domain can
be extended to others and how writing for one audience can stimulate thinking and reflection that
results incontributions to others.

The academic enterprise is and should be one of combination, connection, integration and ultimately,
unification. While we have described several distinct pathways through which management scholars can
achieve impact in a way that is perhaps broader and more expansive than traditionally thought, it is
important to acknowledge the interdependence of these channels and here we wish to underscore
those interconnections and complementarities. For example, it is not uncommon for scholars to begin
with theoretical intuitions or anecdotal phenomenological observations that then generate research
questions answered through a formal empirical model. That model, in turn, might be informed by
additional practical observations and insights, some of which may have policy or societal implications. A
research article derived from these insights may be summarized in a practitioner or policy outlet, or be
incorporated into a textbook or other pedagogical product. It is through this iterative, reflexive, and
combinative process that scholarship can generate impact across multiple realms and speak to a diverse
set of stakeholders.

By providing concrete suggestions for how to reflect on, formulate, and contribute to these various
forms of impact, we hope to have motivated management and organization scholars to think more
broadly about the opportunities for making an impact with their research. While JMS still primarily
publishes scholarly impactful research, we encourage contributions that have the potential for reaching
broader audiences and making a real difference to the range of relevant stakeholders. Producing
impactful research, however, is not the sole responsibility of authors. Rather, it is a collaborative effort
and the responsibility of the entire scholarly community. We as editors at JMS seek to advance such
research despite the challenges associated with conducting and evaluating it, because we believe that
impactful research not only gives a new sense of meaning to scholars, but can also make an important
contribution to improve societal conditions based on scientific evidence.

References:
Honglei Wang1* and Bichen Guan2

1 College of Economics and Management, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China,

2 Department of Marketing and Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Macquarie University,
Sydney, NSW, Australia

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