New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers

Institute of Professional Leadership

The Institute for Professional Leadership (IPL) completed its fifth program on October 10, 2006. Conducted under the auspices of the NJSPE Educational Foundation, the IPL program provides a curriculum by which practicing design professionals learn how to be better leaders and to create a leadership culture in their organizations.

Each IPL program consists of eight class sessions and a separate one-on-one session. The class sessions include some lecture material - but emphasizes exchange of input from each participant. By exchanging individual experiences on the topics, the participants learn from each other as well as the faculty. The one-on-one session for each participant with one of the faculty helps to fine-tune each’s personal vision.

The basic building blocks that are covered in the program include:

Understanding oneself
Understanding others
Having a vision for results
Communicating to motivate others

Topics that relate to understanding and dealing with other individuals include leading in change, dealing with difficult people, resolving conflicts, and helping others via coaching and mentoring.

The sessions are spaced about a month apart to enable the participants to practice what they have learned in the class and try different personal techniques to achieve the desired outcome.

The concept and goals for this program were developed in 2000 by a blue ribbon task force of key NJSPE leaders. After defining what the program should accomplish, the task force interviewed various organizations that had credentials in the area of leadership training. The Jennings Group, based in Columbia, NJ, was selected to lead the IPL sessions. Feedback from each of the groups has shown the value of the faculty and also the improvement that each participant experienced from the program.

At the end of each program, the participants who complete all course requirements are presented with a Certificate of Completion. Shown in the accompanying photo is NJSPE President John A. Rhodes, PE presenting such a certificate to Santhosh Thadigiri of Haley Aldrich, one of the nine participants in the most recent program.

Following his completion of the most recent program, Lawrence Diffley, PE, a Senior Project Manager at Schoor DePalma, wrote, “Through the program, I have a better understanding of myself and others, and continue to use the tools demonstrated in each of the sessions in my encounters each day. The program certainly has helped my career and personal development, and I am confident that my firm will benefit as a result.”

The sixth IPL program is scheduled to begin in January 2007. Nominations are currently being accepted. For more details or an Application Form, please contact Lori Lee at NJSPE headquarters.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Institute for Professional Leadership

What the IPL Program is About

Focuses on developing a leadership mind-set and growing leadership skills and tools vs. management processes.
Provides a highly interactive learning environment designed to facilitate self-discovery and to inspire leadership in each individual participant.
Designed by leaders in the design professions and by a faculty with over 30 years of experience teaching the skills for leadership.

Who Should Participate in the Program?

Design professionals who are...

committed to personal growth and development;
have been identified as emerging future leaders of the organization;
practicing architects, engineers, landscape architects, planners, surveyors, or others in a closely aligned field; and
employed in business, a government agency, an educational institution, or other not-for-profit.

Past participants have grown in self-confidence; have grown their leadership skills; and have become more effective leaders.

PDH credits

The IPL course has been approved by the New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers & Land Surveyors for LS PDH credit—the course has been approved for 24 professional development hours

Firms who have Sponsored Participants

What one Sponsor has to say about the IPL Program
"At Maser Consulting PA., we believe our people are our most important resource and an essential element in our conti growth, which affords us the ability to provide the professional services our clients require in today's market place. Consister with this principle, we enrolled two of our emerging leaders in the first class of the NJSPE Institute for Professional Leadersh The results have justified our confidence in the program. We expect to see a propagation throughout the firm of the leaders~ skills they have attained.

Richard Maser, PE, Maser Consulting, P.A.

What does the IPL Program Cost?

The cost for the two full-day and 6 half-day program is $2,350 for members of NJSPE. The cost is $2,850 for others. A deposit of $1,000 is required with the application. The cost of membership on NJSPE varies with options, but is less than the $500 price increase for non-menbers.

The IPL Program Curriculum

The Program provides a highly interactive learning environment designed to facilitate self-discovery and to inspire leadership in each individual participant. Spread over a nine-month period to give participants time to apply what has been learned to daily lives and achieve long-term behavioral changes as leaders, including:

Initial Seminar (one full day) – leadership principles; leadership models; self-assessment inventory; and four fundamental tools for leadership, i.e. (1) understanding oneself, (2) understanding others and what motivates them, (3) personal vision, and (4) communicating to motivate others.

Coaching/Mentoring Sessions – confidential one-on-one sessions between each participant and a member of the faculty to ensure understanding of basic principles and leadership tools and how to apply them and to refine each’s personal vision statement.

Independent Self-Discovery Activities – creating a personal vision, defining one’s individual leadership style, suggested readings, networking, and participant interaction.

Leadership Forums – Six half-day sessions focused on specific leadership skills and their application. (Topics include leading in conflict situations, delegating to empower, creating one’s own personal leadership style, and communicating to motivate.)

Guest Speakers – outside speakers from business, government, community organizations, and the design professions share their views of leadership.

Closing Seminar (full day) – Summarizes the lessons and experience of the program with emphasis on inspiring leadership in others, creating a leadership culture in one’s organization, and a personal growth plan for the next 12 months.