Engineering Management Institute

Communication/Public Speaking

Public Speaking for Engineering Success

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This is a guest post by Tiffani Teachey

public speaking

“Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.” ~ Maya Angelou

I’m excited to share insights on communication and public speaking tailored specifically for engineers. As a Senior Mechanical Engineer and a Distinguished Toastmaster with experience as an International TEDx speaker with the University of South Africa, I understand the importance of bridging the gap between technical expertise and the art of conveying ideas effectively. Let’s delve into three key points that can help engineers like us master the art of communication.

Embrace Your Engineering Expertise

One of the unique advantages we engineers have is our deep technical knowledge. However, this expertise can sometimes be our Achilles’ heel when trying to communicate with non-technical audiences. Embrace your engineering background and use it to your advantage. Simplify complex concepts by breaking them down into digestible chunks. Connect your technical insights to real-world applications to make your message more relatable. Whether it’s discussing the intricacies of a machine’s design or explaining the benefits of a sustainable engineering solution, leverage your expertise to engage and educate effectively.

Learn from Toastmasters

As a Distinguished Toastmaster, I’ve undergone training in the art of public speaking and leadership. Keep the Toastmasters spirit alive in your professional life. Refine your speaking skills, practice impromptu speaking, and enhance your ability to organize and deliver engaging speeches. Furthermore, consider taking leadership roles within your Toastmasters club to strengthen your facilitation and team-building skills, which are invaluable in both engineering and public speaking contexts.

Draw Inspiration from TEDx Talks

My experience as an International TEDx speaker has been a remarkable achievement. TEDx talks are known for their ability to captivate audiences worldwide. Study TEDx talks in your area of interest to understand what makes them stand out. Observe how presenters use storytelling, relatable anecdotes, and visual aids to convey complex ideas. Incorporate these techniques into your own presentations to make your engineering topics more compelling and accessible to a broader audience.

In conclusion, as engineers, we have the power to revolutionize the world with our innovative ideas and solutions. However, to truly make a difference, we must also be effective communicators. Embrace your engineering expertise, take on your presentation journey with Toastmasters, and draw inspiration from the world of TEDx talks. By combining your technical knowledge with strong communication skills, you can inspire, educate, and drive positive change.

Now, it’s your turn! Take the first step in elevating your communication skills. Join a Toastmasters club, explore more TEDx talks, and start sharing your engineering insights with the world. Together, we can shape a future where engineers not only build extraordinary things but also inspire and engage the world with their ideas. Please let us know in the comments below any other ways to elevate your communication and presentation skills. We would love to hear from you!

About the Author

Personal Branding

Tiffani Teachey is a Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) advocate, TEDx international speaker, and international best-selling author of the children’s book “What Can I Be? STEM Careers from A to Z,” the STEM Crew Kids Adventures series, and three empowerment books. She is the host of the Read It Right Radio Show on WDRBmedia. Tiffani is the owner of Thrive Edge Publishing and owner/publishing consultant of Inspired Authors Publishing. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering as well as a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management, both from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is currently a Leadership Studies Ph.D. student at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

As an engineer with more than 19 years of experience, Tiffani has a passion for inspiring the next generation to engage in STEM careers. She was born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and enjoys traveling and being a youth mentor. For more about Tiffani, visit her website at www.TiffaniTeachey.com. Check out the free STEM gift – 10 STEM Scholarships & Organizations e-book at www.stemistheway.com.

We would love to hear any questions you might have or stories you might share about advancing your public speaking skills. 

Please leave your comments, feedback or questions in the section below.

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To your success,

Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success

5 Strategies for Engineers to Enhance Their Communication Skills

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This is a guest post by Tiffani Teachey

Communication Skills

“Great communication begins with a connection.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

As engineers, we are constantly faced with the challenge of communicating complex technical information to a variety of audiences. Whether we are working with colleagues, clients, or stakeholders, it is important that we are able to clearly and concisely convey our ideas and explanations. Effective communication is essential for the success of any engineering project, as it allows us to collaborate effectively with others and ensure that our message is understood. In this blog, we will explore five key strategies that engineers can use to improve their communication skills and enhance their ability to effectively convey technical information. From practicing active listening to using visual aids, these strategies will help you effectively communicate your ideas and collaborate with others to solve complex problems

Communication Skills

Here Are a Five Key Strategies That Engineers Can Use to Improve Their Communication Skills:

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Breaking Through Common Communication Barriers

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This is a guest blog by Gina Covarrubias

Communication BarriersThis article highlights three common communication barriers that might be holding you back. Learn what you can do to break through these barriers and form newfound connections through improved communication!

1. “I’m Afraid to Speak Up”

The work environment can be intimidating, rampant with older, more experienced folks who seem to know what they’re doing.

For those of you afraid to speak your mind or openly make suggestions, consider the following.

Speaking up is not always about being right. Sometimes it can be, but other times, speaking up can be about expressing ideas or unique thoughts that are worthy of being shared in the name of creating an open dialogue.

Communication Barriers

Your ideas and beliefs deserve consideration as a valued member of an organization. In fact, you get paid to share your ideas and perspectives. While silence may feel less risky and more comfortable, you could fail ahead of time by remaining speechless.

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Great Managers Communicate Differently With Different People by Doing This

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communicate

“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” ~ Tony Robbins

I pulled the quote above because I am reading a book entitled “Principles: Life and Work” by Ray Dalio that has made me consider this topic in our coaching and training work. Dalio is an American billionaire investor, hedge fund manager, and philanthropist. One of the biggest takeaways for me from the book is Dalio’s thoughts on how his firm successfully uses an array of assessments to ensure that they have the right people in the right seats, and that they are communicating effectively.

Dalio suggests that every individual is wired differently, and if we don’t try to understand each of our employees’ strengths, tendencies, and thought patterns, how do we know if we are putting them in a position to succeed or fail?

What if we took the time to gather some data that would help our employees work much more productively together? Isn’t that what engineers do? Use data to improve systems? Isn’t your company one big machine? Yes, it’s made up of talented individuals, but the machine needs to operate efficiently as a whole.

Here Are a Few Examples of What an Assessment Might Tell You:

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Communicating Process Is a Powerful Differentiator

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This is a guest post by Gabe Lett, FSMPS, CPSM, LPC

Communicating ProcessI wonder where Sue is in completing that draft? Does Frank know his quality check is due this afternoon? Does Lynn remember our grant application is due this Friday? If others are having to ask these questions about your responsibilities, you are not communicating process.

Communicating process is about letting others know where you are in the process of delivering requested information or in completing a task. Most never think about communicating process because they do not see the value in it. Yet, when you communicate the process, it lets others know that you are working on what they need and whether you are on target or running behind. This is true for both external clients and internal colleagues.

communicating process

What Makes Communicating Process a Differentiator?

Because most people do not think to communicate process, when someone does and makes a habit of it, it sets them apart. Think about colleagues in your professional role who are good at letting you know where they are in their process. Put yourself in the client’s shoes. How would you feel as a client if the consultant you hired kept you informed of their process? You would feel important and well-informed. You would feel that there was a partnership in the completion of your project.

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Your Ears Are Your Strongest Resolution and Negotiation Weapons

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This is a guest post by Gabe Lett, FSMPS, CPSM, LPC
Ears

Most content that centers around communication and conflict resolution has to do with assessing your feelings, your body language, your decision-making process, your attitudes, and your behaviors. Not that these are bad recommendations, but they fall short of what makes the biggest impact when resolving conflict and negotiating. Where most advice falls short is that the advice focuses on YOU, YOUR feelings, YOUR body language, YOUR decision-making, YOUR attitude, and YOUR behaviors.

Many of you have heard the saying, “God gave you one mouth and two ears. He intended for you to listen twice as much as you speak.” Ears are the gateways to receiving critical information about your environment. Ears collect sound waves. During conflict or negotiation, ears are data gathering reservoirs collecting what is coming out of the other person’s mouth. Ears are your strongest weapons in resolving conflict and negotiating a solution.

Ears

To be fair, your ears are only the front-end of a process that leads to great conflict resolution and negotiation. But if you cannot get the front-end of that process right, nothing else in that process will work. Therefore, ears are where you begin.

When you focus on opening your ears, closing your mouth, and focusing on the other person, several key dynamics are put in motion:

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Three Steps to Make the Most of Your Decisions

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This is a guest blog by Gina Covarrubias

DecisionsWhen it comes to decision-time, do you go all in, or do you spend time waffling and floundering? Learn what you can do to make the most of any decision you make!

1. Commitment vs. Giving Up

Sadly, we sit all too often in a state of doubt, self-defeat, or regret after making a decision. It is so tempting to think, “Oh no, was that the right decision? What if I made the wrong choice, etc.?” The agonies that come along with a what-if mentality can leave your self-esteem lacking and your energy depleted. 

I’d like to offer a more useful three-step approach you can apply when it comes to your decision-making skills. 

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Great Managers Ask Powerful Questions

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This is a guest blog by Pamela A. Scott

Good QuestionsJoin me as we discuss a group of managers whose task was to share information with staff on how a company decision was made. Their conversation had gone around in circles.

Then one brave soul spoke up. “Do you think it’s likely that we can develop any sort of communication plan by continuing to pool our ignorance about how this decision was made?”

Chris Clarke-Epstein shares that story in her book “78 Important Questions Every Leaders Should Ask and Answer.”

What a great question! I particularly like “continuing to pool our ignorance. . .”

If only all questions were so wonderfully worded.

This blog focuses on asking good questions, a subject near and dear to my heart. And a challenge to just about every one of us. The blog also provides links to good questions already written for you to ask.

Your Prerequisite for This Blog

Before you dig in on how to ask questions, develop your curiosity. Curiosity is the basis for all questions. Young children torture us with their questions of “Why, Mommy?” “Why does it hurt when I fall off my bike, Daddy?” “Why is she looking at me like that?”

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3 Tips for Selling Yourself So You Can Sell Anything Well

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This is a guest post by Nader Mowlaee

Some people are great at speaking about themselves. They’re the ones that have a story to tell about every situation. They’re comfortable going from one topic to another effortlessly, and they seem to know somebody wherever they go. They’re smooth talkers, and somehow, they seem to have an endless amount of charisma and an extensive network of friends. Engineers often are not among this group.

I know you don’t want to hear this, but you might need to become a little more like those who are comfortable and confident talking about who they are and what value they have to offer. It is where you’ve got to put your selfish ego aside and lean forward to learn about selling yourself. Don’t worry. I am not suggesting you become someone you’re not, though in many cases, such as during a job interview, you need to learn how to effectively present yourself so that you can convince an employer to invest in you and your capabilities. Here are some soft skills to know when selling yourself:

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The (Not-So) Secret to Successful Client Management

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This is a guest post by Lindsay A. O’Leary, P.E., CAE, LEED AP, M.ASCE

Stellar Client ServiceA consultant’s priority is to provide a service in exchange for payment. It may be advice or developing and executing a plan. In civil engineering, our industry’s charge is to build a better quality of life for all of civilization, doing so both ethically and sustainably. Each completed project brings us closer to that goal. Each time a client hires us, we have an opportunity to make a difference. Clean drinking water. A reliable route to emergency medical care. Structures that withstand flooding or safely sway during an earthquake. Our jobs are rewarding. And happy clients are critical to our success. 

So, what’s the not-so-secret key to providing stellar client service? COMMUNICATION! But it’s not always easy and, frankly, it can be downright intimidating at times. 

Here Are Four Communication Checkpoints for Stellar Client Service to Start Implementing Today:

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