Engineers Embracing Leadership: Making the World a Better Place through Data-driven Decision Making

Abstract

Early studies of engineering leadership in North America suggest widespread resistance to leadership among engineering students and professionals. We explore two integrally linked strategies for overcoming this resistance—one conceptual and one empirical. First, we draw on Giroux’s theory of resistance to reframe the assumption that engineers who have questions about leadership are opposing the notion of engineering as a leadership profession. Second, we investigate the notion of leadership affinity by analyzing 617 open-ended survey responses to the following question: “what inspires you about an engineering profession that embraces leadership?” We conclude with a theoretically informed discussion about the potential impact of leadership affinity on engineers’ professional development and social impact.