Here's how you can resolve conflicts with your boss in a systems engineering job.

Resolving conflicts with your boss in a systems engineering job is crucial for a positive work environment and effective communication. Here are the key steps to address and resolve conflicts with your boss: Key Points: 1. Reflect on the conflict and identify the specific issue. 2. Communicate concerns respectfully using "I" statements. 3. Find shared goals and areas of agreement. 4. Understand your boss's perspective. 5. Offer potential solutions that satisfy both parties. 6. Consider mediation if direct communication fails. 7. Maintain a professional demeanor throughout the process. 8. Follow up to ensure the solution is implemented and keep a record for future reference.

If wired as an engineer w/task-focused versus a people-focused orientation, the importance of understanding issues may get discounted. Another way to see it is - Perfectly solving a incorrectly defined problem may result in failed validation. The system does what it was designed to do. Was it designed to do what it was supposed to? With tough challenges & an awesome boss, they may be up for using simple, powerful analysis tools (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone) For diagnosis of people-related problems: What - Do they know what to do? Why - ...why they should do it? How - ...how to do it? Ability - ...have the ability to do it? Motivation - Are they motivated enough? Insubordination - If others are good. Did they decide not to deliver?

I get it... You cycle through good bosses, bad bosses and in-between bosses... At the end of the day you are being paid to solve problems and not whine! So...never bring your boss a problem without a solution. Heck, your an engineer... Work the problem and bring your boss into the solution as an active participant with a role.. Interesting how this can change the dynamics of the relationship.... Think about it!

Systems engineers in big companies get A LOT of training over their career. For a good systems engineer, it shouldn't be overly focused on whatever Syst Eng training or education they successfully completed. Systems engineering is an INCREDIBLE framework / tool box to be notionally applied to solve any problem on this planet. Maybe some on other planets, too. ;-D A lifelong sys eng is ideally knowledgeable about key business world themes. This part smacks of "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." Another key tip - Don't make it personal. Good training on conflict mgmt will advise to take the emotion out of it. Then, it's mostly evaluation of facts. Facts don't have emotions. They aren't positive or negative.

It's true. Project / program leadership (inclusive of Sys Eng) needs to pick its battles. I'll take slight issue w/sentiment here... There are two ways to score a field goal. One is to work contributing factors (think fishbone diagram) to make a better kick. The other is to move the posts. If all stakeholders agree that posts can be moved, and it's necessary, no harm no foul. Let's not make light of this. It's not as simple as it sounds. Part of it is stakeholder management and it could involve customer intimacy & trust. I'm not recalling much discussion of the latter in Sys Eng literature. Process "integrity" is a good way to frame it. Process is not about blind adherence. There's no reason to be scared of tailoring / waivers.

This part is a no-brainer. Systems engineering always tries to take unintended consequences into account. Some follow-up is about effectivity. What will change as a result of the agreed-upon solution? What was working that now could get broken? If someone likes Lean approaches, DMAIC is good for this. Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. The control part is the piece to focus on. Monitor to make sure changes get fully implemented, then make sure they stay implemented. Especially w/cultural implications like changing practices on a team. If we're talking conflict with a boss, a periodic health check on the relationship is a good idea. Conflicts draw down good will. Make sure good deeds and "deposits" exceed "withdrawls".

Guiding principles: -Great bosses welcome good & bad news. Otherwise, it's a stressful work environment. -Bad news doesn't age well. Dispassionately addressing bad news, using facts leading to logical conclusions can help. Avoid drama where possible. -Hiding risk is not smart. That's why systems engineering uses risk & opportunity mgmt. Best practice is - Use robust practices for issue mgmt, too. Ideally, w/Earned Value Management (EVM), factored exposure is addressed in the Estimate At Complete (EAC) for higher-risk items. Surprise impacts (cost/sched/tech/quality) are not good. -Get the paperwork to lay flat. Documentation is there to facilitate the work & relationships. Get approval to change rules / commitments when necessary.