Delegation and Initiative in the Engineer-Client Relationship

In Delegation and Initiative in the Engineer-Client Relationship, you'll learn ...

• How to better interact with clients to control risk, improve efficiency and increase customer satisfaction
• What level of delegation is being described by your client
• How to identify the level of initiative appropriate to any particular action
• How deliverables can be categorized by levels of initiative and risk
• The importance of knowledge overlap between client and consultant
• How to identify both explicit and implicit assumptions

Overview

Credit: 1 PDH

Length: 16 pages

When a client hires an Engineering Consultant, he wants a clone with skills and resources. Typically, the consulting agreement requires the consultant to deliver a report or set of plans by a certain date, at which time the client pays him for the report. In this course, we shall see, however, that the client is not buying a report or set of plans like he buys a carton of milk. He is hiring someone to do something that he would do himself, the way he would do it, if he had the necessary expertise, resources, and inclination. In short, he is delegating.

The Engineer however, is not a mere hired hand. She must look beyond the minimal requirements of the Statement of Work to discover how to meet the client's needs and to act in the best interest of the client. The Engineer must take the initiative to make decisions for, and act on behalf of, the client. The level of initiative must be balanced against the client's desire and need to control the project.

Acting and making decisions on behalf of the client creates risk for both the consultant and the owner. Determinations of the level of initiative appropriate to any particular action or decision requires assessment of the type, nature and severity of the risks.

Deliverables such as reports and plan sets can provide advice, recommendations, and/or instructions to third parties (contractors). These three categories of deliverables correspond with levels of initiative and risk. The deliverable must match the client's level of delegation.

This course provides a framework for thinking about and discussing levels of initiative. Because this course draws from and builds on ideas typically applied to the supervisor-employee relationship, it is useful to a broad range of professionals, not just those who work directly with clients.