Engineering Ownership Mindset The Key to AEC Leadership

Key Concepts:

• Likability as a strategic business asset
• People-first culture
• Mentorship and protege programs
• Ownership and accountability
• Client service and trust
• Hiring strategies and values
• Leadership by example
• Importance of enjoying one's work

1. Bony Dawood's Journey and Motivation:

• Bony Dawood, a licensed professional engineer, is the President and CEO of Dawood Engineering, now a Woolpert Company.
• Engineering was in his DNA, with his father and two older brothers also being engineers. He visited construction sites from a young age.
• He launched Dawood Engineering in 1992, driven by a desire to provide better client service and take care of co-workers, rather than just being the president of an organization.
• He observed shortcomings in how his previous firm serviced clients and handled employees during a downturn, motivating him to create a better approach.
• His plan was simple: provide service, provide value, and build from there, with the confidence that he could return to the workforce if needed.
• He felt a need to "move the needle" in terms of generational progress, inspired by his father's sacrifices and achievements.

2. Building a People-First Culture and Hiring Strategies:

• Bony emphasizes understanding the person beyond their resume. He spends 10-15 minutes selling the company to potential candidates to get them excited about the opportunity.
• He delves into why candidates are pursuing the opportunity, focusing on their work ethic and vision.
• He trusts his instincts during interviews, noting that ignoring warning signs has led to problematic hires.
• He values being personable and making candidates comfortable to understand who they are and what's important to them.
• He acknowledges the need for flexibility in hiring, especially during growth phases, to find the right fit for various needs.
• He mentions hiring successful students from a smaller, newly accredited engineering program that larger firms overlooked.
• He emphasizes that managers should browse resumes themselves, even if HR initially screens them, to identify potential candidates that might otherwise be missed.
• He shares an example of hiring a chief strategy officer from the banking industry, highlighting the importance of looking beyond traditional engineering backgrounds.

3. Likability as a Strategic Business Asset:

• Likability involves caring about what you're doing and understanding that you're part of a larger puzzle.
• It's crucial to teach young engineers to take ownership of projects by understanding the value of their work, its long-term impacts, and implications.
• Expanding one's vision beyond just the immediate task is essential.
• Bony shares a story of his firm being one of the last two standing out of 14 engineering companies used by a large firm during the oil and gas boom. This was attributed to trust and listening to the client's needs.
• He emphasizes that large egos won't last in his company, as it's about team effort.
• He recounts firing a top-producing manager who didn't help his staff elevate their game and take responsibility for mistakes, prioritizing a manager who fosters growth and collaboration.

4. Thinking Like an Owner:

• Bony's experience working for a developer gave him perspective on what not to do and how not to handle clients.
• He shares an example of an engineering company billing him for time spent pointing out their design errors, illustrating a lack of ownership.
• He emphasizes the importance of protecting the client's interests and understanding the impact of one's work.
• He encourages engineers to ask "Why are we doing it this way?" and challenges the status quo, separating strong professionals from those who simply follow regulations.

5. Mentorship and Protege Program:

• Bony pioneered a state-endorsed mentor-protege program.
• He initially complained about a dominant firm in the minority engineering space but later realized the need to help other MBE firms grow.
• He advocated for a program to educate MBE firms, pushing the idea with state officials and eventually seeing it come to fruition.
• He emphasizes the importance of having firsthand experience and data to support discussions with decision-makers.
• He highlights the need to protect one's interests and promote a quality culture within the industry.

6. Civil Engineering Career Hot Seat:

• Daily Rituals: Bony leads by example, arriving early and staying late, and cares about the people around him, wandering around every morning to communicate and connect.
• Influential Mentors: He was influenced by mentors who demonstrated strong technical and business acumen, as well as being personable and caring.
• Career Advice: Enjoy what you do, take your time to assess different areas, and focus your energy on what you enjoy personally and professionally.

7. Conclusion:

The key takeaway from the conversation with Bony Dawood is the importance of caring about people. This is reflected in his hiring strategies, his approach to client service, his emphasis on mentorship, and his overall leadership style. By prioritizing relationships and fostering a people-first culture, Bony has built a successful engineering firm and made a positive impact on the industry.