Servant Leadership in Civil Engineering: The Mindset Behind Lasting Impact

Key Concepts

• Servant Leadership: A leadership philosophy where the leader prioritizes the needs of their employees, customers, clients, and communities over their own gain or organizational gain. It emphasizes listening, empathy, inclusion, and empowering others.
• Lifelong Learning: The continuous pursuit of knowledge and skills throughout one's career and life, essential for adaptability and staying relevant in a rapidly changing world.
• Curiosity: A core value that drives adaptability and encourages individuals to explore new ideas and perspectives, leading to better problem-solving and innovation.
• Inclusion and Belonging: Creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and has a voice, leading to better outcomes and a stronger workforce.
• Head and Heart Leadership: Balancing analytical, technical decision-making (head) with empathy, emotional intelligence, and consideration for people (heart).
• 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle): The concept that approximately 80% of effects come from 20% of causes, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing high-impact activities.
• Digital Twins: Virtual replicas of physical assets or systems used for simulation, prediction, and optimization of performance and lifecycle.
• Generative Design: An iterative design process that uses algorithms to explore a wide range of design options based on specified parameters and constraints.
• Professional Engineering Licensure: The regulatory process that ensures engineers meet specific standards of competence and ethics, crucial for public safety and trust.

Servant Leadership in Action

Lisa Rober, President and CEO of RSNH, discusses her approach to servant leadership, emphasizing that it's a label others have applied to her, not one she self-identifies with. She defines it by her actions: actively prioritizing the needs of employees, customers, clients, and communities over personal or organizational gain. Trust is built through listening, empathy, and inclusive conversations. She is recognized for her ability to balance short-term and long-term organizational outcomes, mentor, and empower individuals to reach their potential. A key aspect of her authenticity, as perceived by others, is her willingness to admit when she doesn't know something, to learn, and to acknowledge when she might be wrong. This approach fosters an environment where people feel they know what to expect from her, contributing to a culture of trust and psychological safety.

Career Journey and Leadership Evolution

Lisa's career journey, spanning over 35 years in the AEC industry, is characterized by a non-linear path and a willingness to embrace new challenges. She began her career in civil engineering, being the first in her family to attend college. Her early experiences at the North Carolina Department of Transportation, including working in construction and even waitressing, provided foundational lessons in fiscal responsibility (stewardship of taxpayer dollars) and public safety. She then moved to a privately-owned company, where her management experience amplified, eventually leading to her first COO role and the establishment of a new operational base in Florida. Fifteen years ago, she joined RSNH, progressing from COO to President and CEO.

Her transition from technical roles to executive leadership involved stepping back from direct construction management, which she initially found "terrifying." This period was marked by a conscious effort to raise her hand for new opportunities and step into roles based on organizational needs rather than personal aspirations, leading to sideways and backward moves that exposed her to new experiences and taught her to "succeed and fail gracefully."

Navigating Leadership Challenges: Head vs. Heart and the Expanding Gray

A significant leadership challenge Lisa identifies is the transition from relying solely on the "head" (analytical, black-and-white thinking) to integrating the "heart" (empathy, emotional intelligence) and navigating the "gray" areas of decision-making.

• Early Career: Characterized by a focus on "black and white" – adhering strictly to plans, specifications, and contract documents. Decisions were often viewed as right or wrong.
• Mid-Career: An increasing awareness of the "gray" in decisions, requiring consideration of social and people impacts beyond the technical lens. The scope of the gray expands.
• Later Career: A focus on balancing leading with both head and heart, acknowledging that these can sometimes be in conflict. The leader's role is to make the best decision for the entire organization, not just an individual.

This 35-year journey of learning and reflection has shaped her understanding of balanced leadership.

Essential Traits for Civil Engineering Leaders

For civil engineers aspiring to become effective leaders and add value, Lisa emphasizes the importance of:

• Lifelong Learning: This is crucial for adaptability and staying current in a rapidly evolving industry. She dedicates about an hour daily to reading articles and staying informed.
• Curiosity: A core value at RSNH, curiosity drives adaptability by fostering an acceptance of change and encouraging exploration of new ideas.
• Adaptability: The ability to adjust to the fast-paced changes in the industry is paramount.
• Reflection: Regularly assessing what has been learned, both successes and failures, is vital. She practices this at home by asking her children "What did you learn today?" and applies it to her own career.
• Authenticity: Being genuine and transparent in interactions builds trust and credibility.
• Vulnerability: Admitting when you don't know something encourages others to step up and contribute.

Technology and Delivery Frameworks Transforming Infrastructure

The AEC industry faces challenges like a dwindling number of graduating engineers, leading to increased competition for talent. Technology is seen as a key solution to bridge this gap.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Currently a major focus, AI is being integrated through:
  • Generative Design: Speeding up design outcomes.
  • Digital Twins: Enabling prediction of future performance, efficiency, and lifecycle impacts, moving beyond incremental changes.
• 3D Construction: Advancements in this area are expected.
• Automated Construction Equipment: Increasingly important due to the shortage of skilled labor.

Lisa notes that while these technologies have been discussed for a while, the speed of adaptation is increasing. She stresses the continued importance of professional engineering licensure to maintain credibility and protect public interest, arguing that while technology can supplement, human judgment informed by real-world experience remains critical.

Fostering Inclusion and Belonging

Lisa's advocacy for inclusion stems from her personal experiences of feeling like an outsider in the construction industry early in her career. She believes that recognizing and leveraging diverse perspectives leads to better outcomes for clients, communities, and the company.

• Business Case for Inclusion: Leads to better decisions and outcomes.
• Strategies for Inclusion:
  • Actively inviting perspectives from all individuals, especially those on the fringe.
  • Creating environments where people feel comfortable sharing ideas without being put on the spot.
  • Encouraging and rewarding curiosity.
  • Showing vulnerability by admitting when you don't know the answer.
• Vitality for Long-Term Success: In a context of a reduced workforce, fostering inclusion helps create lifelong career paths for employees by cultivating an environment where they feel heard and valued. RSNH refers to all employees as "associates" to signify this inclusive approach.

Final Advice for Civil Engineering Leaders

Lisa's final piece of advice for civil engineering leaders is to "Keep it simple, but focus on the important things."

• Prioritize with Clarity: Tie actions back to the company's strategy and vision.
• Align with Core Values: Act in a manner consistent with the company's guiding principles.
• Avoid Distractions: Channel limited time and energy into initiatives that drive meaningful outcomes.
• Apply the 80/20 Rule: Identify the 20% of efforts that yield 80% of the results.
• Ask Critical Questions: "Does anything actually break if we don't do this?" and "What's the worst thing that could happen?" This helps in discerning truly important tasks from less critical ones.

By focusing on these principles, leaders can demonstrate continuity and consistency, mobilizing their workforce and making a lasting impact.