I’ve always liked engineers. My academics started with Applied Mathematics, Engineering and Physics as a major (yes, eons ago). I realized quickly it didn’t suit me as a career choice, but I did take a few engineering courses as ‘optional’ even after switching to economics.
Why did I do that, you ask? Well, it’s problem solving. It’s modeling and creating a functioning system. It’s complex and challenging. These are important elements of leadership – seeing how all the pieces fit together.
Still, there are challenges for the engineering leader. People can be unpredictable and not fit into the system as predicted sometimes. I love to talk to these leaders about how people are also complex systems in their own way. Discovering how that ‘people system’ can work is also complex, challenging and rewarding.
Read this article to discover Why Do Engineers Make Good CEOs?