Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 28
Insights From ACEC’s Institute for Business Management Why Connecting Is Job No. 1 in Business Development; The First Engineering Expert Witness business development, n: The proactive cultivation of a personal, trust-based relationship between individuals who have interest and motivation to do business together. According to the new ACEC Press book, Wired to…Clients, by David A. Stone, establishing a personal, one-to-one relationship with clients is vital. At the end of the day, the only thing the client has to go on is when you look him in the eye, shake his hand and say, “I’m going to look after you,” writes Stone—to which the client can say, “I know you, I believe you. I trust you. I’ve got confidence that you will look after me.” Confidence does not come from a brochure or a written proposal, but from a trust-based relationship between two individuals, explains Stone: “It comes because that client knows and trusts, at a personal level, the individual who looks him in the eye and makes that promise. Now, after he has signed the document and made that commitment, he can go home and go to sleep at night knowing, in the pit of his stomach, that things are going to be just fine.” His point: Connecting with clients on a technical level via proposal or presentation is not enough. Failure to connect on a personal and emotional level through business development efforts lessens the chance that you’ll win the job. Learn vital techniques to connect with your customers in Wired to…Clients by David A. Stone. Go to www.acec.org/publications to order your copy today. The First Engineering Expert Witness The earliest known use of an expert witness in a legal case occurred in England in 1782. The case involved the silting up of a harbor in the Norfolk area north of London. The court accepted evidence from John Smeaton (1724–1792), a leading civil engineer often regarded as the father of civil engineering and founder of Great Britain’s Institute of Civil Engineering. The decision to accept Smeaton’s evidence on littoral silt still is widely cited in England as the root of modern rules on expert testimony. Today, expert witness work is a vital part of any court proceeding that requires technical expertise. ACEC now offers a detailed expert witness course that qualifies engineers, architects and surveyors for recognition as expert witnesses. ACEC’s next Expert Witness course will be offered in Denver, June 10–11. To participate in this new content-rich program, visit www.acec.org/education.ENGINEERING INC. MaRCh / apRIl 2010 Interpretation of Indemnification— Watchword and Warning Engineers are being asked (and are sometimes required) with increasing frequency to sign contracts that indemnify their clients (and sometimes others) against any losses potentially suffered during a project. Depending on the wording, a contract can be so broad as to require indemnification against losses, whether attributed to an engineer’s design or not. Such an approach should be viewed as an attempt by an owner to impose, through a contract, more liability on an engineer than the law would impose, even when an engineer has adhered to the professional standard of care. Where parties to a contract are concerned, one universal goal is a successful project with no claims. The best way to achieve project success, according to Chicago attorney Justin Weissburg, is to “keep specific risks in the hands of those in the best position to control those risks.” Standard contracts sold and promoted by ACEC provide recognition by the engineer of their responsibilities as a licensed professional. Though most engineering firms condemn the practice of indemnification, ACEC contracts provide language that can be used if indemnification is needed to satisfy the client. Two elements are involved in handling indemnification. One is negotiating with the client about such matters; the other is agreeing upon appropriate language. Both approaches are discussed as part of the upcoming ACEC Contracts and Negotiations course, which covers negotiating controversial language and comparing indemnification and other language in the various standard contracts frequently used by engineers. The course, which assists professionals in understanding and applying important legal principles related to engineering contracts, is scheduled for May 20–21 in San Francisco and features James Brown of Malcolm Pirnie as lead faculty. To view the course brochure and register online, go to www.acec.org/education. n The ACEC Institute for Business Management provides comprehensive and accessible business management education for engineering company principals and their staffs. Visit ACEC’s online educational events calendar at www.acec.org/calendar/index.cfm or bookstore at www.acec.org/publications, or call 202-347-7474, ext. 338 for further information.
http://www.acec.org/publications
http://www.acec.org/education
http://www.acec.org/calendar/index.cfm
http://www.acec.org/publications
http://www.acec.org/education
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010
Table of Contents
From ACEC to You
News and Notes
Market Watch
Legislative Action
How to Survive the Down Economy
Annual Convention Preview
Putting Transportation Design in Context
Sustainable BIM
The Case for QBS
AASHTO Uniform Audit & Accounting Guide
Insights from ACEC's Institute for Business Management
Members in the News
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Cover2
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Table of Contents
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - From ACEC to You
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 3
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - News and Notes
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Market Watch
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Legislative Action
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 7
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - How to Survive the Down Economy
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 9
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 10
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 11
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Annual Convention Preview
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 13
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 14
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Putting Transportation Design in Context
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 16
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 17
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 18
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Sustainable BIM
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 20
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 21
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 22
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - The Case for QBS
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 24
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 25
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - AASHTO Uniform Audit & Accounting Guide
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 27
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Insights from ACEC's Institute for Business Management
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 29
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Members in the News
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 31
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - 32
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Cover3
Engineering Inc. - March/April 2010 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc_spring2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc_winter2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0919
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0719
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0519
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0319
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1118
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0918
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0718
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0518
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0318
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0118
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0917
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0717
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0517
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0317
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0916
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0716
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0516
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0316
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0915
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0715
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0515
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0315
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0914
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0714
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0514
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0314
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0913
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0713
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0513
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0313
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringincSeptOct
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0109_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0706
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com