# S2E25 Setting High Expectations, Personal Accountability, & “Reading the Table” | Brian Brooks

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2021-06-04
- Length: 52m
- Episode: 25
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-06-04-s2e25-setting-high-expectations-personal-accountability-reading-the-table-brian
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/setting-high-expectations-brian-brooks/

## Summary

Brian Brooks, Director of Engineering at Terumo Cardiovascular Systems, discusses his 16-year career progression from engineer to leading a team of 46 people. He details his approach to hiring for integrity and initiative, using a robust 360-degree interview process to assess cultural fit. Brooks explains how he manages accountability and performance in a large medical device organization, including his evolution from public ranking systems to data-driven earned value analysis and innovation metrics. He also shares personal strategies for developing emotional intelligence, such as 'reading the table' from his time waiting tables and using energy zone quadrants to prevent burnout.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-06-04-s2e25-setting-high-expectations-personal-accountability-reading-the-table-brian#t=0) Introduction and Career Origins
- [10:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-06-04-s2e25-setting-high-expectations-personal-accountability-reading-the-table-brian#t=619) Hiring for Integrity and Cultural Fit
- [14:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-06-04-s2e25-setting-high-expectations-personal-accountability-reading-the-table-brian#t=841) Setting Expectations and Accountability
- [16:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-06-04-s2e25-setting-high-expectations-personal-accountability-reading-the-table-brian#t=982) Measuring Engineering Performance and Innovation
- [24:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-06-04-s2e25-setting-high-expectations-personal-accountability-reading-the-table-brian#t=1465) Driving Cultural Change and Listening
- [31:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-06-04-s2e25-setting-high-expectations-personal-accountability-reading-the-table-brian#t=1869) Developing Emotional Intelligence and Presence
- [37:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-06-04-s2e25-setting-high-expectations-personal-accountability-reading-the-table-brian#t=2279) Improving Team Communication and Visibility
- [46:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-06-04-s2e25-setting-high-expectations-personal-accountability-reading-the-table-brian#t=2795) Managing Energy and Preventing Burnout

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Terumo Cardiovascular Systems (company)
- Drexel University (other)
- University of Penn (other)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- Survey Monkey (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Organizational Impact of EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System] w/ Luke and Joel Wittenbraker](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-02-16-the-organizational-impact-of-eos-entrepreneurial-operating-system-w-luke-and-joe) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Hiring Processes with Gergely Orosz](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-11-07-hiring-processes-with-gergely-orosz) (Oxide and Friends)
- [21: The Tent Is Flat and Everyone Is Wet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-10-02-21-the-tent-is-flat-and-everyone-is-wet) (Embedded.fm)
- [185: Nice Mahogany Table](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-01-25-185-nice-mahogany-table) (Embedded.fm)
- [509: Swarmed by Engineers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2025-09-05-509-swarmed-by-engineers) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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