A Theory of Micro-Level Dynamic Capabilities: How Technology Leaders Innovate with Human Connection

The author examines the relationship between leader behaviors and engineering team performance. Data were collected for 18 engineering teams (nine research, nine nonresearch) from manufacturing and aerospace organizations located in Rocky Mountain, Midwest, and East Coast regions of the United States. Results indicate that both team members and leaders believed that providing autonomy and initiating structure were important leader behaviors; however, neither of these behaviors was significantly correlated with team performance as evaluated by managers external to the team. Members also believed that leaders should exhibit personal commitment to the team goal and show consideration for team members. Specific leader behaviors were significantly correlated with team performance only for those teams with a research purpose. For such teams, public relations activities performed by leaders were important. >

Leading engineering teams: leader behaviors related to team performance

Abstract The ever-increasing demand for more complex products and services has led to an increased need for engineering teams. Despite this increase, available literature on engineering team performance factors is limited, and the trend in this research field is not clear. This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) aims at identifying research trends and gaps in engineering team performance. Three reputable research platforms were used. The SLR found that the most studied engineering team performance factor is the impact of skillset or knowledge of individual team members. The paper gives engineering managers insight into team management decision making and identifies several opportunities for future research.

Systematic Review of Research Trends in Engineering Team Performance

Information Technology (IT) industry is a fast growing industry globally. In the IT industry, technology is a resource of profound importance. The need for effective technical managers cannot be overemphasized for their contributions towards the organizational growth and competitive advantage. Past research has shown technical managers require a special combination of knowledge about science and technology, knowledge about behaviour and skills to lead. The author has developed effectiveness measurement scale for technical managers, using which 491 IT technical managers are surveyed for prominent personality traits exhibited. Given the vast realm of personality traits and in want of better measurement consistency, Bar-On’s Emotional Intelligence (EI) instrument is deployed. 15 personality traits are measured in clusters of effective and typical technical manager samples. Empirical analysis is performed to achieve the objective of identifying personality traits exhibited by effective technical managers in IT industry. The outcome from this study is expected to help managers in self awareness as well as guide IT corporate(s) towards efficient learning & development of techno-managerial professionals.

Identification of personality traits exhibited by effective technical managers: An empirical study using emotional intelligence

Traditional management principles meet with only minimal success when applied to technical professionals. It is argued that technical leadership requires a special combination of knowledge about science and technology to acquire respect, knowledge about behavior, and skill to lead. Extensive research conducted over a three-year period in 19 technologically oriented companies was examined. The degree to which technical leaders were able to facilitate the achievement of individual and group goals over multiple projects was related to their ability to address five strategic dimensions of technical leadership: coach for peak performance, run organizational interference, orchestrate professional development, expand individual productvity through teamwork, and facilitate self-management. Blending of strategic thinking and behavioral competence across dimensions was most characteristic of the more effective leaders. >

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel2/162/5218/00201273.pdf

B.L. Rosenbaum

Papers

How to lead today's technical professional