Exceptional Engineer
We are at risk!Whether in the private sector or government, we are at all in a fierce battle for survival. The competition is brutal, and the name of the game is speed to value. Foreign countries are innovating as fast as possible to compete with the US for military supremacy, and every company in the world is in competing for every point of market share. All organizations have talented engineers, but still many projects fail, putting us at risk. Project planning rarely results in commitments that can be met or beat, excessive rework not only impacts deliverable quality but contributes to schedule delays, engineer fatigue, and attrition. Today’s senior engineers are starting to age out of the workforce, and junior engineers are not yet equipped to lead. There has got to be a better way.
There is a better way…an exceptional way
At Exceptional Difference, we’re committed to empowering elite engineers, teams, and leaders for success. Our Exceptional Engineer offerings equip engineers with not only the right tool sets, but also the right mindsets, to become exceptional engineers who master what we call the Obligations of Engineering and are able to apply data and expert judgment to make decisions with courage and conviction in a Culture of Excellence that fully fosters the mindsets required for commitment, quality, value, and speed.
Exceptional Difference Offerings
Talks and Tools
Talks for the Exceptional Engineer include our highly-requested Victims to Victors, Navigating the Storms of Change, and Exceptional You. Any of our talks can be brought to your organization and customized to your audience.
Free downloads include 100+ Questions Field Guide, and Essence of Systems Engineering Field Guide. These downloads are great introductory materials as well as solid complements to any of our talks or workshops.
We also have the book, Lead With Speed, which was written by Exceptional Difference’s award-winning author, Alan Willett.
Workshops
Thriving on Teams is a one-day, highly interactive workshop blending dialog sessions, table exercises, real-world case studies, and expert coaching to equip students with the mindset, behaviors, and communication skills needed to perform and thrive on high-pressure, high-stakes teams. Thriving on teams builds professionalism and confidence—helping participants take ownership, collaborate effectively, and deliver exceptional results even under demanding conditions.
Experiential Learning and Training
Exceptional Engineer Experience (E3) is our flagship program. E3 is a seven-month experiential learning program guided by expert coaches from Exceptional Difference. This transformational and immersive experience leverages readings, dialogs, labs, and on-the-job application as it enables the cohort to learn and retain the information as they apply it to their organization in real time. E3 focuses on four x-factors required for excellence: commitments, quality, value, and culture. By the end of E3, participants consistently meet or beat their commitments, deliver with high quality and have the data to show it, view their work through a lens of value, and dramatically improve their culture.
Comprehensive Consulting and Mentoring
Our sweet spot is consulting with organizations who need help with what we call the fundamental Obligations of Engineering: Value, Quality, Speed to Value, Data, and Commitment.
First 100 Days is a highly personalized program that helps employees navigate the first 100 days of a new job in ways that bring immediate value while preparing for long-term success.
Mentoring Subscription is an opportunity to mentor with one or more of our principles, all of whom have over 30 years as leaders and technologists in high-stakes, safety-critical, high-tech environments across the industry. We offer mentoring subscriptions for one-on-one or small group coaching sessions.
Exceptional Engineering Experience
An exclusive program that enables leaders and engineers to master the X-Factors of Commitment, Quality, Value, and Culture.
Quality Deep Dive
Gain a deep understanding of quality management for high-tech systems development and an action plan to successfully implement them for immediate impact.
Technical Debt Deep Dive
This is an immersive and highly collaborative workshop and training experience for elite engineers and team leaders looking to tame technical debt within their organization for good.