From now onwards, I have the privilege of leading the Institution in the classic sense of leading EIZ members, individually and organizationally, for the next 12 months.  

As interesting as that would be, I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF LEADERSHIP. Not leadership in the context I just made reference to, but leadership by the profession in a public role in the theme areas of professional practice, infrastructure, Industry and environment.

I would like to point out that to have an effective public role, engineers, as a profession, must adopt that role as integral to their profession. We have not done that yet, at least not to the extent other professions have.
For the next council this is certainly a high-priority topic and should be addressed together with other objectives of our strategic plan. The current strategic plan, top listed issues include this one;
“The profession’s limited effectiveness in communicating with public officials regarding industrial and infrastructure needs of our country”.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I became an engineer because engineers not only do something—they get things done. Engineers translate dreams, ideas, hopes, and concepts into reality—enduring reality.
Engineers are problem solvers, applying science and engineering to provide services or produce products and projects. To quote Herbert Hoover:
“It is a great profession. There is the fascination of watching a figment of the imagination emerge. . .to a plan on paper. Then it moves to realization in stone or metal or energy. Then it brings jobs and homes. Then it elevates the standards of living and adds to the comforts of life. That is the engineer’s high privilege”.
As I progressed through what is now the first 24 years of my career, I became less satisfied with being only an executor of work directed by others and extended my interest into the broader life cycle of what I, or my organization, or my profession was doing. I saw a need for engineers to re-establish themselves in the public and private processes that decided the what, the why, and the where of what we would do (the context), not just the how.
This is the essential, critical theme in Rich Weingart’s book, “Forks In The Road”, and I believe is a key ingredient in accomplishing many of our shared objectives such as:
•     Increasing public awareness, understanding, and recognition of engineers.
•     Attracting increasingly diverse youngsters to science and engineering
•     Influencing public and private sectors decisions that promote prudent investment in industry and infrastructure.
•     Promoting balance in decision making to insure that development is not technically but economically, socially, politically, culturally, and environmentally sustainable.
But first, who are we? Or what’s our image? Not only our image in the public’s mind, but perhaps our self-image as well. As a profession, we are generally known to be, and we consider ourselves, ethical.
We’re left-brained, unemotional in a very emotional world.
We’re client/customer/mission focused almost exclusively (perhaps to a fault at times) and because we are apolitical we can have credibility in a partisan political world. BUT many public issues needing our input, or that impact our profession, are not partisan political issues at all.
Given this hand, how can we possible play it and effectively serve society through engagement in public issues?

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I believe, among other things we should celebrate the involvement of those among us who are capable and willing to be involved—we should reward that involvement and we should support it.
We should seek out among us those who have the talent, the commitment (and also a high pain threshold at times) to engage in this process and encourage their involvement.
We can contribute our money and time to organizations (such as professional and industry associations) that represent our concerns.
But we should demonstrate and prove that our input is relevant and value added to the public discourse. We should talk with the public, not at them, and directly to decision-makers in ways they understand.
We should apply our innate strengths: integrity, logic, commitment to purpose, and overcome our tendency to be dispassionate so we will be heard and welcomed as valuable participants in the public decision processes.
Let’s be a strong voice.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I believe that our vision, as a profession should include engaging in a sufficient level of activism in decision processes to provide balance to the debate?
We can and must do this without subverting the basic values or virtues of our profession. If we fail to engage, we will continue to deny society and our clients the benefit of what we can provide them not only for today but also for tomorrow.
Our Institution’s limited effectiveness in communicating with the public on topics of national interest hinders the nation’s economic growth and competitiveness.
We should be less satisfied with being only executors of work directed by others. We should extend our interest in the broader life cycle of our country.
SOCIETY NEEDS OUR INVOLVEMENT.
We need to establish ourselves in the public and private processes that decide WHAT, the WHY, and the WHERE of what we would do – not just HOW.
To do this, Engineers need communication and leadership skills.
Current trends in the world pose questions about the future of the engineering profession. Technology and market forces have placed additional pressures on how engineers will play out their roles.
All these issues represent critical tests for engineers with new responsibilities, looming ahead for a new generation. The solution is that engineers today must control their destiny rather than letting events control them. Therefore, we need to take an ambitious step on the road to the new future.
    We need to set a vision in line with the country’s 2030 Vision (and hopefully we have managed to do so in our strategic plan). A vision in which we shall act as:
•    Innovators and integrators of ideas and technology across the public and private sectors;
•    Managers of risk and uncertainty caused by natural events and other threats;
•    Leaders in discussions and decisions shaping public environmental and infrastructure policy.

    We need to determine what kind of knowledge, Attributes (skills) engineers will need to posses in line with the vision, some of which are:
•    Integrity and observing the code of ethics by all members. We must curb corruption in all our dealings.
The EIZ supports governments’ efforts of national development and in particular, the policy of ‘zero – tolerance’ for corrupt activities. EIZ has a code of ethics and will institute measures in the profession so that our members should act honourably in their dealings with our own people and with our business clients.
•    We have already seen the trend of global sourcing of professional talent – this has become a competitive imperative. Any attempts to establish barriers will be a futile attempt. What we need is for our engineers and to keep pace with new technologies and rapidly –changing current practices.
•    The education and training of future engineers and continuous development of today’s engineers must include and go beyond the required technical competences.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
There is no doubt that the success of engineering in Zambia will largely depend on the participation of the entire membership so that we can be more responsive to the objectives of our profession.
Let’s stand up and be counted. I intend to do just that and I call upon the following persons to stand at the stage and be introduced to the audience as the next EIZ Council.

Thank you for your attention, may God bless you all.
Enjoy the rest of the evening.