The Engineering Futures Program prepares engineering students for their careers by enhancing
their technical effectiveness through interpersonal skills and teamwork development. Courses are
taught by 52 trained, volunteer Tau Beta Pi alumni who will travel to our campus to share the
curriculum with our chapter members. Timing is planned according to our needs in two-hour
intervals. A Saturday should be scheduled for longer 4- to 8-hour sessions.

Our chapter is required to provide a room for the session, a VHS VCR with monitor, and a flip
chart with pens. At least 15 participants are required for a session. National Headquarters will
arrange a facilitator for our session and pay for his/her travel expenses. Expenses for meeting
room, A/V equipment, and any meals provided as part of our chapter’s program are the
responsibility of our chapter.

Our chapter may schedule a session by completing and submitting an online request at
www.tbp.org/chapters/resources to Headquarters. Our facilitator, assigned by Headquarters, will
communicate with Our chapter representative about which modules will be presented.

 

I. Team Chartering (Presented to chapter officers and Advisors.)
      Part One - Defining the Role of Teams
         Why organizations are moving to teams, Looking at your team, Defining the role of
         teams, Stages in team’s growth, Listening skills to ease moving through team stages.
      Part Two - Developing the Team’s Own Charter
         Exercise to build trust among team members, Develop ground rules, Anticipate
         challenges.

II. People Skills (Presented at Convention & special campus sessions.)
      Part One - Communicating Situations
         Describing the situation, Conceptual overview, Skill transfer.
      Part Two - Motivation Problems
         Difference between motivation and ability, Motivation by consequences, Practice.
      Part Three - Ability Problems
         Separation of ability from motivation, Asking for ideas, Dealing with “mixed”
         problems.

      Part Four - Emergent Problems
         Definition of emergent problems, To handle or set aside, Complex statements,
         Emotional statements, Handling it all.

III. Group Process (Presented at Convention & District conferences.)
      Part One - Meeting Management
         Stand-up meetings, Staff and project meetings, Determining whether/when to hold a
         meeting, Managing attendance, Managing the meeting room, Managing the topics in
         a meeting, Managing meeting roles and process, Closing a meeting.
      Part Two - Group Process
         Keeping meeting members on track, Handling problems in group process, Enlisting
         team support to handle problems, Group think.

IV. Analytical Problem Solving (Presented at District conferences.)
      Part One - Problem Solving Model/Generating
         The problem solving process, Basic team activities, Review of brainstorming, Lateral
         and vertical thinking, Analytical tools based on brainstorming.
      Part Two - Problem Solving Model/Evaluating
         Steps for evaluating options, Developing selection criteria, Weighted voting, Consensus.
      Part Three - Problem Solving Model/Analytical Tools
         Decision tree for selecting appropriate tools, Tools for generating, Tools for evaluating.