AHR 2022: Soft Skills for Engineers

While MEP engineers learn about building science and technology in school, they usually are not taught the soft skills needed to work efficiently in a team atmosphere.

Kelly L. Faloon

Feb. 3, 2022

2 min read

In a Feb. 1 2022 AHR Expo session, specifying engineer and human skills expert Karine Leblanc explained the soft skills engineers need today to establish credibility in their work.

The architecture/engineering/construction field is built around teams: people working together to properly design, apply science and build structures. In the HVACR field, that also means ensuring that building occupants are comfortable while conserving energy.

While MEP engineers learn about building science and technology in school, they usually are not taught the soft skills needed to work efficiently in a team atmosphere. In a Feb. 1 2022 AHR Expo session, specifying engineer and human skills expert Karine Leblanc explained the soft skills engineers need today to increase success in their work.

“Communication is the No. 1 criteria for advancing ourselves is developing the ability to communicate efficiently,” she noted. “Leaders spend 80 percent of their day communicating.”

Perspective is key, she added, so make sure you actively listen to team members.

Collaboration is essential in engineering firms. “Decide as a team what collaboration means for the project,” Leblanc said. “Focus on building relationships within the team before tasks. It’s important to know who you are working with.”

As part of a team, meetings are inevitable, so make sure they run smoothly. Effective meetings include preparation, clear expectations, focus on agenda, next steps and assessment.

“Make sure to start and end your meetings on time,” she explained. “You can follow up later if an issue needs clarification.”

And while most people abhor public speaking, it is one of the best ways to establish credibility in your field.

Finally, Leblanc noted that “multitasking is a myth.” Those who try to do too many things at once see a 20 percent reduction in productivity.

About the Author

Kelly L. Faloon

Freelance Writer/Editor

Kelly L. Faloon is a contributing editor and writer to Contracting Business magazine, Contractor and HPAC Engineering. The former editor of Plumbing & Mechanical magazine, Faloon has more than 20 years experience in the plumbing and heating industry. She started a freelance writing and editing business in 2017, where she has a varied clientele.

Faloon spent 3 1/2 years at Supply House Times before joining the Plumbing & Mechanical staff in 2001. Previously, she spent nearly 10 years at CCH/Wolters Kluwer, a publishing firm specializing in business and tax law, where she wore many hats — proofreader, writer/editor for a daily tax publication, and Internal Revenue Code editor.

A native of Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula, Faloon is a journalism graduate of Michigan State University. You can reach her at [email protected].