Leading a Team Around Distractions

Includes a Live Web Event on 11/18/2026 at 2:00 PM (EST)

Overview
Speaker(s)

Experience Level: Any level of experience

As we move into a more integrated and complicated society, we are fraught with trying to maneuver through issues that seem to be important but end up more as distractions. Because as engineers we want to fix everything, we have a hard time negotiating which issues need concentration and which may not meet the scope of the project. When a team concentrates on distractions, they follow a path that usually leads them away from the project goal. This can cost a lot of time and money and possibly cause the project to be canceled. Learning to determine which issues need to be solved and which should be ignored will keep a team focused towards successful project completion.

To lead a team efficiently requires a certain set of skills that will lead the team to determine the differences between a distraction and a real problem that if not solved, will affect the project outcome. This is where managing towards a specific goal helps to alleviate the confusion in this question.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Building an environment that allows open and safe dialogue between team members to elicit integrated communication focused on the project goal.

2. Understanding different types of distractions and how to determine if a team resolution is required.

3. Creating a Goal Statement that will keep a team focused and on track towards the product being built while greatly reducing scope creep.

4. Developing skills and tools for improvement of communications to ensure efficient completion of a well-integrated product that meets expectations.

1 PDH

Pricing:

NSPE Members: FREE

Non-members: $75.00 (Join NSPE today and save on this purchase.)

To register, add this webinar to your shopping cart and check-out in the NSPE e-store.

Elaine Deremer Cook, PE, PMP

Retired Engineer

An award-winning program management executive, Elaine Deremer Cook has made exceptional contributions in the aerospace and civilian marine sectors. Leading mission-critical R&D and engineering programs for NASA’s Space Shuttle program, she has been instrumental in developing a wide variety of systems and components. Many of these innovations helped the Shuttle safely launch, reach orbit and return to earth.

In senior program management roles at prime NASA contractors, Elaine drove innovation, directing continuous improvements in the design, engineering, testing, refinement, commercialization and production of rocket propulsion, heat shield, crew compartment and other crucial systems.

At the end of the Space Shuttle program, Elaine showed her versatility and adaptability by applying her managerial and technological talents in the recreational marine sector at the Brunswick Boat Group (BBG), makers of the Sea Ray and Bayliner brands of mid-range and luxury civilian watercraft, Embraer, makers of luxury aircraft and HandyPro of the Space Coast where she was the Professional Engineer and General Contractor of record for the company’s specialty in Accessibility Modifications for homes and businesses.

Elaine has retired from the Ares Corporation and NASA’s Artemis Program, choosing to work with her horses and dogs instead. She finds that the skills she has learned help her also with training her animals. So much is in the conversation that you have with them and keeping things safe and open.