Seminar/Webinar: Engineering Consultants – Being a Professional

Register for this event here by 12:05am on Friday, September 18, 2009. Sorry, no walk-ins permitted.

Arrive between 8am and 8:20am. The event runs from 8:30-11:30am. Coffee and pastries will be served.

This event will teach you how to be a more professional consultant. It will start with an interactive workshop led by Christine Silver, a trainer and one-on-one coach of engineers and managers. CNSV members Duane Strong and John Gale will then lead a group discussion centered around the non-behavioral aspects of being a professional consultant. John Gale will then lead a panel consisting of Christine Silver and CNSV members Duane Strong, Doug Martin and Tom Coughlin to debrief the attendees.

Attendees will take away:

• A clear vision of what qualities are encompassed by professionals
• Understanding of what you are doing right and what you can do better
• Insight about areas of improvement necessary to project a professional image
• An action plan to put into practice to develop needed skills
• A Handout titled Ten qualities of a professional
• Marketing and marketing collateral used by professionals: what professional work products look like, and the infrastructure your professional practice needs

Pre-Workshop optional homework: Be prepared to share your responses to these two questions:

• What do I do now to allow others to perceive me as a professional?
• Who do I know who is the consummate professional, and how is this impression earned?

This seminar is part of the Marketing Series in the CNSV Seminar Program, organized by IEEE-CNSV to help its members advance their skills during these difficult times. It is co-sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Section of IEEE as well as IEEE-CNSV.

Christine Silver is a management consultant with a background in Human Resources and training. After a successful 10-year career as an HR generalist, manager, and trainer, she focused her attention on training and coaching. Working closely with Marty Brounstein of The Practical Solutions Group for the past 7 years, Christine took on the role of managing partner with the firm in 2007.

Her training and coaching expertise covers the following skill areas: leadership development, effective communication, team development, interview and candidate selection, and conflict resolution. Her experience as a one-on-one coach has helped managers in their performance management efforts.

Duane Strong of Strong Engineering, LLC, is an IEEE Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP), an IEEE Senior Member, and IEEE-CNSV Treasurer.

John Gale of Taligo, LLC, is a business development and commercialization consultant and IEEE-CNSV At-Large Director.

Tom Coughlin of Coughlin Associates is a storage analyst, IEEE Senior Member, and past chair of the Santa Clara Valley Section of IEEE.

Doug Martin of Doug Martin Technology, Inc., specializes in feedback control systems and measurement signal processing.

Location: Cogswell Polytechnic College

1175 Bordeaux Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089
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