Communication skills for Engineers
REQUIREMENTS FROM ENGINEERS
• Excellent Technical Expertise
• Skills Beyond Technical Expertise
EMPLOYERS DEMAND SKILLS BEYOND
ENGINEERING
• Communication Skills
• Adaptibility & Creative Responses to Setbacks
• Personal Management, Confidence etc.
• Functioning in Group
• Effectiveness in Organization, Leadership etc.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
• Reading
• Listening
• Writing
• Speaking
ESSENTIALS FOR GOOD WRITING &
SPEAKING
• Command on the Subject
• Self-confidence
• Linguistic Ability
• Emotional Stability
• First Listen, Then be Listened
• No loud Speaking but Putting Strong Logic
• Give Respect, Earn Respect
• No Emotional Involvement
INTERACTIONS
• Boss to Subordinate & Vice Versa
• Senior to Junior & Vice Versa
• Elderly to Youngsters & Vice Versa
• Consultant to Client & Vice Versa
• Consultant to Contractor & Vice Versa
• Client to Contractor & Vice Versa
• Engineers to Bureaucrats
• Engineers to Politicians
• Engineers to Police / Army
The above interactions demand different
communication protocols.
MAIN RULES FOR EFFECTIVE WRITTEN
COMMUNICATIONS
• Use easy and simple language
• Use short sentences
• Use unambigious sentences
• Use direct sentences
• Use active voice
• Use First Person in lieu of Third Person
• Use structurally & grammatically correct English
• Use logical flow and articulation
• Use proper salutation & wrapping-up
• Prompt the desired action in the end
MAIN RULES FOR EFFECTIVE ORAL
COMMUNICATIONS
• Prepare well on the subject
• Speak on your turn and remain to the point
• Give respect and remain decent
• In place of loud tone, give weighty argument
• Use simple but lucid language & accent
• Use different methodology for technical and non-technical
people
• Give regard to the time available
• Do not be shy and do not hide / cover up important events
which may cause criticism
• Do not get impressed unduly & divulge the truth
• While conversing or presenting to seniors, does not mean that
you accept wrong things
• Give eye ball to eye ball contact
REASONS FOR THE PROBLEM
• Poor emphasis on English language before
engineering education
• Poor development of English language during
engineering education
• Insignificant efforts by engineers on improvement
of their communicative skills
• Historical upper-hand of politicians / bureaucrats /
men in uniform etc. on engineers thus regarding
them as mere workers or educated labour
• Subservient role of engineers in govt. departments
WHY TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATIVE
ABILITY ?
• No matter how good you are in engineering, the technical
ability will remain camouflaged due to poor communication
skills.
• It is very competitive era. People with less technical skills will
tend to take advantage.
• Self-prestige and confidence is excessively hurt when the
other person wins a wrong argument merely due to his better
communication skills.
• Engineers must not be cowed down before politicians and
bureaucrats. They are cream of the nation and should
demonstrate their capabilities at all forums.
• At the moment, the engineers generally lack good
communication abilities and self-confidence, which must be
improved to play proactive role in the nation-building.
ROLE OF INDIVIDUALS
• Read plentiful of writings in English language
• Improve your vocabulary
• Watch English documentaries / dramas / movies
• Converse amongst your colleagues etc. in English
• Improve your accent in line with the actual accent
• Practice writing
• Practice preparing & delivering presentations
• Boost your self-confidence & self-esteem
• Think that your past successes are a beacon-light for you
• Gain more emotional stability
• Join some institution for improving English language
With concerted efforts, one can make tremendous improvement
in one’s oral communication skills.
"Think like a wise man but communicate in the
language of the people." - William Butler Yeats
"We have two ears and one mouth so
that we can listen twice as much as we
speak." - Epictetus
"Of all of our inventions for mass
communication, pictures still speak the
most universally understood language." -
Walt Disney
Thank you for listening
