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Write your text here!Effective delegation in an engineering organisation
What is Delegation?:
Pass responsibility to the appropriate person and give them control over their work, reduce interference and empower
Why delegate?:
i)Efficient use of resources and skills
ii)Vital for staff development, motivation and confidence
iii)Reduces staff frustration
iv)Increases your time for essential tasks
v)Reduces your stress
How to Delegate Effectively?
i)Require sound basis:
-Effective organisational structure
-Continuous feedback / communications
-“No blame” culture
ii)As a manager, ask the following questions:
-Is the goal suitable for delegation?
-Is the delegate competent to complete the goal?
-Is the delegate clear of what’s expected of him?
-Are the responsibilities unambiguous?
-Are you making a positive contribution to the results?
-Are the results achievable?
iii)Supervise:
-Continuously analyse, re-delegate and appraise
-Don’t interfere, but listen and give encouragement
-Co-ordinate, set targets or goals, not tasks
-Use of QA
Barriers to Delegation Solution
i)Doing it yourself Avoid menial tasks
ii)Overburdening staff Increase resources
iii)Being inexperienced Develop skills
iv)Losing control Regular feedback
v)Dealing with fear, Build relationships
suspicion, insecurities, trust Communicate well
Respect opinions
Listen
“Delegation does not relinquish a manager’s responsibility”
communications
The importance of effective communication during the design and construction of civil engineering works
Communication is the transfer of meaning through planned input into a prepared environment.
What needs to be communicated?
i)Your understanding
ii)Problem definition
iii)Contract requirements, responsibilities and obligations
iv)Design interfaces
v)Design problems, issues, ideas, alternatives, solutions
vi)Programme constraints
vii)Cost / financial targets
viii)Commercial priorities
ix)Health & Safety, and Environmental Issues
x)Design requirements (on-site)
xi)Quality requirements (Certification)
xii)Client requirements
xiii)Tasks and goals (delegation)
xiv)Leasderhip vision
xv)Consequences to third parties
xvi)Project performance
Who needs to know?
i)Design Team (inc Delegates)
ii)Joint Venture Parties (Construction managers, programmers)
iii)Client
iv)Third Parties (Utilities, LA’s, emergency services etc)
v)Media (Local press, radio etc)
vi)Public (Property owners, road users)
vii)Support Staff (IT, HR, RMT etc)
viii)Senior Management
ix)Sub-Consultants
Methods of Communications in Civil Engineering
i)Verbal
ii)Detailed design drawings and specification
iii)Written (Letters, memo’s, faxes, emails etc)
iv)Telephone, video conference
v)IT (Internet, email, fax)
vi)Meetings or Presentations (formal with minutes / informal)
vii)Programme (Gantt Charts etc)
viii)Health & Safety Plan
ix)Quality Assurance / Certification
5 main types are written, spoken, gestures, images and a combination of these.
Effective Communications:
Soft Skills:
i)Be clear what you want to communicate
ii)Choose the appropriate method (chat or formal report)
iii)Choose the appropriate audience
iv)Recognise cultural and corporate differences (in JV’s)
v)Get the message across (ensure understanding)
vi)Deliver the message (succinct) / take notes
vii)Use Body language and Interpersonal skills (eye contact, rapport etc)
viii)Develop relationships and recognise barriers
Other ways to achieve:
ix)Public relations
x)Meetings
xi)Advertising
xii)Partnering (Egan principles)
xiii)Form of contract (eg NEC) for clarity
xiv)Role of the ICE
xv)Joint ventures
xvi)Whole life approach
Barriers to Communications:
i)Resistance to change
ii)Emotional bias (how we hear what is being said)
iii)Insufficient knowledge / lack of understanding
iv)People see what they want to see
v)The way you talk / sound of voice
vi)Listening, Reading and Memory
vii)Writing (use plain language)
Importance is highlighted by considering the consequences of poor communications:
i)Time / delay (design reworks, missed deadlines)
ii)Money (cost of labour, plant, materials)
iii)Legal (cost of litigation)
iv)Quality (poor methods and materials, does not meet specified requirements or the needs of the Client / Customer)
v)Accidents
vi)Civil engineering is labour intensive
joint venture contracts.
Joint Venture Features:
i)A JV is an agreement between 2 or more parties to form a single organisation in order to achieve common goals effectively and indicates a Partnership
ii)No standard form of contract
iii)Sir Michael Latham outlined the benefits of partnering to the Client and Contractor (Improved quality, time of completion, reduced costs through reduced confrontation)
iv)Personal experience in DBFO Contracts
v)JV’s can be integrated (i.e. take equal share of risk and profit) or non-integrated (remain jointly responsible, but take on different roles through separate contracts)
Advantages:
i)Improved quality, time of completion, reduced costs (focus on WLC / best value),
ii)Improved communications,
iii)Reduced confrontation,
iv)Increases competitiveness (potential for more profit),
v)Simpler for Client (one contract),
vi)Risk sharing (financial, overrun, quality). Risks too great for a single company,
vii)Finance: Larger capital base, potential to borrow more and cheaper. Reduced overheads,
viii)Resources: JV’s can draw on specific expertise, giving technical advantage when tendering,
ix)Collateral Advantage: 1) Higher profile projects won (increased Public / Client awareness = future work), 2) Ability to work in new locations and new areas, 3) Improvements in staff management skills, 4) Staff exposed to wider issues, 5) JV can optimise design to benefit programme, health & safety, buildability, availability of materials.
Disadvantages:
i)Cultural differences (Language, ethics, behaviour)
ii)Pressure on engineers to consider wider issues,
iii)Old predujices,
iv)Close relationshipd not extended to Client,
v)Procedural (JV organisation, systems, procedures etc may differ from parent company) – Important to develop robust Project Quality Plan to define joint responsibilities / accountability.
vi)Set Up Costs: Can be high for first time JV’s
vii)Mistrust: Fear of the unknown. Sharing of ideas, techniques and technical knowledge. Team building fundamental to give operative synergy
viii)Personal Aspects: Pay scales, basic hours, overtime etc
ix)Weakened Leadership
Management Challenges:
Commitment and sound procedures required
The merits of an integrated quality, health & safety and environmental management system to meet the needs of the customer:
Features:
i)An integrated management system (IMS) is one which combines and effectively controls each managed process in the provision of a product or service
ii)Combines all the principles and good practice of H&S, Q and E issues = customer satisfaction
iii)Generic Parts (Policy, Organisation, Plan, Measuring, Feedback)
iv)H&S Legislation: HSAWA 74, MH&SAW Regs 92, CDM
v)Quality: The ability of a product to carry out its task
vi)Environment & SD
Merits:
i)Less time consuming to create than 3 separate docs
ii)Audit process easier to follow
iii)Ease of reference
iv)Single points of contact = improved communications
v)Projects aim to reduce cost, improve quality, reduce time etc. IMS can help achieve this
Intetgration of Systems:
i)ACOP to the HSAWR “The arrangements should be integrated with the management systems for all other purposes”
ii)Endorsed by the ICE, provided they are properly developed and expertly audited
electronic information
Communications increasingly electronic:
i)Surveys, drawings
ii)Letters, documents
iii)Calculations
iv)B of Q
v)Manufacturer and supplier data
vi)QM systems (IDMS)
Implications (+ve)
i)Replication easier (docs and drawings)
ii)Faster document production / distribution
iii)Repeatable calculations
iv)Reduced paper
v)Up-to-date info available (web)
vi)Share systems
Implications (-ve)
i)Nothing gets signed
ii)Potential for editing
iii)Loss of skills in users, lack of checking
iv)Easy to lose data
v)Hacking
vi)User skills
See R&D for list of other IT uses.CORE Management Areas