RectorSeal Reviews

The engineering management team appears to have been promoted primarily from individual contributor roles without prior formal management training or leadership experience. While technical knowledge is present, there is a noticeable gap in structured management capability, including strategic planning, process governance, performance management, and organizational development. As a result, decisions are often made in an ad hoc manner rather than through defined engineering processes or standardized management frameworks. This creates inconsistency in execution, unclear priorities, and operational inefficiencies within the department. There is limited evidence of established engineering management systems, such as long-term resource planning, structured project controls, or transparent performance evaluation mechanisms. The department operates more reactively than strategically. Additionally, the engineering management team consists entirely of Chinese nationals. They frequently conduct discussions in Chinese—sometimes behind closed doors, with laughter and animated conversation that makes it unclear whether they are chatting casually or discussing work-related matters. Even when they speak English, there can be language barriers that make it difficult for non-native Chinese speakers (including myself and other team members) to fully understand or follow along. This leads to a lack of transparency in decision-making, reduced information flow, and feelings of exclusion in team collaboration. In contrast, the engineering team in Vietnam demonstrates stronger operational discipline and process organization. Workflows appear more structured, communication more systematic, and execution more consistent. The difference in operational maturity between the two teams is noticeable. There are also concerns regarding fairness and consistency in workplace policy implementation within the Houston engineering department. Flexibility arrangements, such as hybrid work, are applied selectively rather than through transparent and standardized criteria. Overall, the U.S. engineering department would benefit significantly from experienced engineering leadership with formal management backgrounds and a clear, process-driven operational framework, as well as improved cross-language communication transparency and inclusivity.

Some departments lack accountability and ownership of their role.