Leadership by Engineers

Abstract

To survive, society depends, amongst other things, on the successful implementation of the ideas of engineers. To implement his design or conceptual thought, the engineer relies increasingly on the co-operation of large numbers of people: other engineers, draughtsmen, fitters, supervisors and men and women in design, construction, production and maintenance.

This lecture suggests that the benefits of engineering will come to our society only if engineers give more attention to achieving the commitment of the gifts of other people in making things happen. An outline is given of some common sense leadership actions which engineers must take during the last twenty years of the twentieth century if our society is to advance.