​Leadership is not a title. So what is it?
 
Leading others is earned. It is a relational dynamic. It is a willing connection.
 
Leaders pull, not push.
 
Leaders raise their hand to volunteer first. They sacrifice first.
 
Leaders listen to complaints, they do not give them.
 
Leaders earn respect. They do not demand it.
 
Leaders demonstrate patience and calm. They are a voice of reason.
 
Leaders ask great questions and patiently listen to the answer.
 
Leaders speak to your potential, not to your past.
 
Leaders take responsibility. They do not blame.
 
Leaders have imperfections and faults, but they do not get comfortable with them as part of their identity.
 
Leaders invite others in, not push people out.
 
So, no matter your title or level of responsibility, you can lead! Being a leader is not something awarded to you. It is something you do because you love and desire to serve. 

The original blog post was published by The Engineering Management Institute. 
Your Ears Are Your Strongest Resolution and Negotiation Weapons (engineeringmanagementinstitute.org)

SUMMARY
Most of the content I researched around resolution and negotiation focused on the self. Where most advice falls short is that the advice focuses on YOU; YOUR feelings, YOUR body language, YOUR decision-making, YOUR attitude, and YOUR behaviors. What about your negotiating partner? What about their feelings, body language, decision-making, attitude, and behaviors? Ears are the gateways to receiving critical information about your environment and about the person with whom your are trying to resolve a conflict.

When you focus on opening your ears, closing your mouth, and focusing on the other person, several key dynamics are put in motion:

1. The other person has an end goal in mind. They have an expected outcome. What is it? You will never know if you don’t open your ears and listen.
2. Once your ears are open, listen. You may hear noises coming from the other person’s mouth, but you must listen to decipher and understand what they mean.
3. Listening takes intentional focus and sustained effort. LISTENING IS NOT marshaling your arguments or assuming conclusions. LISTENING IS focusing on the other person’s message, seeking to understand that message, and then syncing that message to the broader context.
4. Once your ears are open, your mouth is closed, and you are intently listening, only then will the other person truly feel you are partnering with them, interested in helping them achieve their end goal.

Opening Your Ears Means:

1. Being curious and only asking questions that help to clarify, define, and explain.
2. Focusing your attention on the other person, their thoughts, and emotions.
3. Partnering with others to team up and resolve a problem together.

Use your ears to negotiate a resolution!
​

This marketing tip is borrowed from the 2 Bobs podcast episode, Selling to Different Buyer Types — 2Bobs.

Consider four buyer types based on the valuing of differentiation and the pain tolerance for price.

1. Convenience Buyer
   The convenience buyer is willing to pay a higher price, but does not have a high value for differentiating your consulting or advice. This means they value convenience more than quality. For consulting engineering services, the convenience buyer is usually a developer who needs speed and will pay for speed. The convenience buyer may also be a client in need of a quick solution due to regulatory fines or penalties.
2. Price Buyer
   The price buyer wants the lowest price and does not value your brand of consulting or advice. They only value the lowest price. The price buyer sees the engineer as a necessary evil. They do not value your service, only your seal to get them to the next stage of their project.
3. Relationship Buyer
   The relationship buyer values your brand of consulting and is willing to pay for that brand. They understand your methods, your culture of helping and appreciate it by paying you what you deserve. The relationship buyer has a high need for consistent and repeat engineering advice and wants the loyalty and trust of a predictable engineering firm.
4. Value Buyer
   The value buyer only has a low tolerance for higher prices because they have to see a good return-on-investment (ROI). They value good engineering, but will negotiate the price to maximize their ROI. This buyer values your engineering expertise and will pay appropriately for it if you can demonstrate a good ROI.