Navigating successful engineering business leadership roles requires more than technical expertise; it demands a blend of business acumen and leadership skills. Companies that invest in the career development of their young engineers are positioning themselves for long-term success, explains Chris Campbell, CEO of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA).

According to the 2023 Global Leadership Forecast report by consulting firm DDI, companies that failed to offer an effective leadership development programme at any level were linked to the poorest financial performance, with only one in five companies noting that their financial performance was in the top 10% for their industry.

By contrast, organisations with effective development programmes for only one leader level performed slightly better – 31% said they are in the top 10% of industry financial performance. When effective programmes were offered for two levels of leaders, this percentage increased to 40%.

The consulting engineering sector, says Campbell, needs to stay ahead of rapid technological advancements, changing regulatory and safety standards, developing resilient infrastructure and find sustainable solutions for future developments.

“This highlights the need for effective leadership and leaders who can motivate their teams, manage diverse stakeholders, make swift and effective decisions under pressure and adapt to this ever-changing environment.

“While technical expertise remains essential, successful consulting engineering leaders must also possess the skills to apply the knowledge obtained through their experience, as well as the ability to balance a complex web of interpersonal dynamics that define the built environment professions,” he adds.

Consulting engineering leadership is primarily focused on planning, organising, and ensuring that projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards, however, there is so much more that contributes to a successful business.

These aspects are often not taught at tertiary institutions, Campbell highlights, and includes the fields of sustainable development, quality and risk management, professional liability and negligence, legislation affecting construction projects, procurement, conditions of contract for construction projects and importantly, personal development.

Brenda Lacey-Smith, CESA School of Consulting Engineering’s Manager for Education and Training, states that understanding market trends, financial implications, and organisational goals are also important factors in project delivery and management. Engineers with strong business acumen are also better equipped to navigate ongoing challenges in the market and drive innovation.

“Many in our sector across the professions and various engineering categories and disciplines including engineers, engineering technologists, quantity surveyors and many others are sometimes promoted to leadership positions without any formal training in management and leadership principles. This lack of preparation can lead to a host of issues, including ineffective leadership, low employee morale and high staff turnover rates. To address this gap, there is a need for exposure to comprehensive management and leadership development programmes,” she explains.

Therefore, says Lacey-Smith, pioneering initiatives aimed at transforming “good technical practitioners into excellent leaders”, such as the CESA School of Consulting Engineering’s Business of Consulting Engineering Management Development Programme (BCE MDP) plays an increasingly important role in developing leaders, who are through such exposure, equipped with these critical management and leadership skills.

The programme covers a wide range of topics, which includes a broad spectrum on  project delivery, building awareness of the consulting engineering environment, financial management, contract law, as well as ones which focus on people and interpersonal development.

Lacey-Smith echoes the sentiment expressed by Campbell: “Companies supporting an employee’s participation in a programme such as the BCE MDP,  are not only increasing their potential to improve their profitability, they are also proactively contributing to developing the next generation of leaders who would be  equipped to navigate the challenges of the modern engineering landscape as part of their succession planning.”