Develop Your Communication Skills |
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| Written by Graham Stoney | |
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Non-trivial Engineering projects can't be carried out entirely by one person, so invariably you will end up working in teams. The limitations of human communication is one of the greatest barriers to effective team work, so you will be well served if you take every opportunity to develop your communication skills. Large organisations often have internal training course programs which can assist in areas such as technical writing and presentation skills. Take every opportunity to participate in such courses, even if it doesn't seem immediately relevant to your current project. The rest of your team will thank you when they find it easier to understand what you're going on about. If you work by yourself or your organisation has no such courses, try external organisations like Toastmasters, or do a course at a local community college or university. You'll be amazed at the benefits in many areas of your life beyond just Engineering. It's no co-incidence that Engineering tends to attract us introverted analytical types, and we aren't necessarily born communicators. High School English was my worst subject, and one of the benefits of studying Engineering was that I didn't have to write a single essay for 5 years. But in the real Engineering world, I had to communicate my ideas to other people or I was next to useless. Being able to present your ideas clearly to other people in written or verbal form also helps to clarify them, and effective communication skills helps future-proof you against changes in organisational direction, or even your own personal interests. Your colleagues, friends and family will also appreciate any advances you make in being a more effective communicator. Social Bookmark this page:         
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