Leadership in an Engineering Environment

In this talk, Trudy Kortes, a 30 year career veteran and STEM speaker and consultant, will describe the typical characteristics of an industrial engineering organization, the typical characteristics of engineers, and typical situations you might find yourself in within an engineering organization. She will discuss the hard realities you will face as well as manifestations of each of these topics, and then you will learn strategies, approaches, and coping mechanisms to successfully maneuver yourself through your career. Consider this an investment in your future self.

Humor: It’s not just for comedians, it’s for leaders

According to a recent INC. article, Why Funny Leaders Are Better Leaders, According to 2 Stanford Professors, “Leaders with humor can build stronger cultures, unleash more creativity, and even negotiate better deals.” Trudy’s been onto this, practicing these principles in the field for decades with great success. She believes the art of humor as it relates to leadership is a valuable concept for emerging and established leaders looking to up-level their impact at work.

Trudy thinks work should never involve any funny business, but it can still be funny. When used appropriately in the workplace, humor is a powerful common denominator used to build rapport between individuals and among teams, diffuse tense situations, and simply make dull meetings bearable, perhaps even enjoyable. Trudy believes that now, more than ever, people don’t just want, they NEED competent, kind, and, yes, humorous leaders. While she might not be able to teach you to be a stand-up comedian, in this talk Trudy will inspire you to bring your unique, natural gifts to the workplace, a critical element contributing to you and your organization’s good health and prosperity.

Women in STEM: How your unique leadership is just like a rocket launch

Does it seem like you will never break through to the highest levels of your organization? When you look up, do you struggle to see role models who embody your workplace values and beliefs? Do you find yourself needing to ask permission, deferring your own power, conforming to others management style, or avoiding difficult conversations? Do you long for a different environment — one in which collaboration, transparency, and leadership authenticity lead to true cross-organizational partnerships and a healthy workplace? Do you shy away from opportunities because of it all?

Regardless of position, women face unique challenges in the STEM workplace. Trudy is passionate about helping women catalyze their power to build the work community they want by bringing different voices to the table. Having successfully applied approaches like shared decision-making, knowledge reciprocity, and team empowerment, Trudy talks about how you can do these very things to lead by example and fundamentally shift organizational culture and dynamics. The lessons learned she shares about finding your voice and embracing self-advocacy will help you to attain your rightful leadership role by building your unique workplace brand and proactively managing your own career.

It might not be rocket science, but it’s still hard: Propelling yourself through a non-linear career path

Are you running out of fuel from feeling like you constantly have to prove yourself over and over again? Do you fail to set — or sacrifice — your own boundaries in attempts to get ahead? Is climbing the traditional corporate ladder unappealing or, worse, unrewarding? If you take a different perspective and consider other possibilities, what might it mean if your path resembles a spiral staircase instead of a straight up climb, rung by rung?

Trudy redefines forward movement and talks about first-hand experience with forging her own unique route and advantages to diversifying your career portfolio by using the power of gut instinct and intelligent intuition to steer important life and career decisions.

Customized Presentations

Trudy can tailor her talks to different audiences, and they are rated “E” for everyone. Sample topics include:

• Effective Communication: It’s Not The What, It’s The HOW

• Work/Life Continuum: Time To Streamline Your Schedule

• Leadership: Even Major Tom Knows It’s About Service, Not (Ground) Control

About Trudy Kortes

Drawing upon a successful 30 year career and a natural comedic talent, Trudy delivers delightful and thought-provoking presentations on a range of topics of particular interest, especially to people working in STEM fields. Her focus as a speaker remains simple: people need leaders who are competent, dedicated, and most importantly relatable on a personal level. When these attributes exist at the top, individuals, teams, and organizations as a whole benefit.

Trudy has held various leadership roles in systems engineering, program and project management, and organizational leadership at NASA and understands the culture of a highly driven technical and complex work environment. She is keenly interested in conveying her thoughts around how to break the cycle of conformity in leadership.

Trudy holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Michigan in Aerospace Engineering and a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Houston. She resides in Westlake, Ohio with her husband and three children who provide an abundance of raw material for comic relief.