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5 Crucial Client Communication Skills for Engineering Project Managers

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This is a guest blog by Holly Welles

Client Communication SkillsWhether you’re trying to connect with customers, a new employer or your partner, or even trying to network with peers, communication is vital for career growth. For project managers and planners, it’s especially crucial because poorly delivered messages can have a considerable impact on the results of projects and tasks.

Communication is also essential for dealing with clients. Without the appropriate message, you might misinterpret the scope of a project, what demands a client has or project specifications.

As an engineering professional, here are five crucial client communication skills you will need to interact with clients effectively:

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How to Begin your Speech Planning and Design

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How to begin your speech planning and design is a guest post by Shoots Veis, P.E.Speech Planning

A long time ago in a conference room far, far away, speakers used to give their presentations using a slide projector.  Before computers were easy to move around, the slide projector was the all-in-one machine used to put graphics on the screen during a presentation.  You may have heard of the Kodak Slide Carousel.  You may have even used one in a presentation or two.  To use the carousel, the graphics the speaker wanted to show during the presentation were made into slides.  Those slides were loaded into a wheel and as the wheel advanced, a new slide was projected on the screen.

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TECC 167: Slide Rules: Design, Build, and Archive Presentations in the Engineering and Technical Fields

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Slide Rules: Design, Build, and Archive Presentations in the Engineering and Technical Fields

Slide RulesIn this episode, I talk with author Traci Nathans-Kelly who gives very specific strategies on how you can dramatically improve your technical presentations.  The information discussed is from her book called Slide Rules: Design, Build, and Archive Presentations in the Engineering and Technical Fields. Slide Rules is a first-rate guide for practicing engineers, scientists, and technical specialists as well as anyone wishing to develop useful, engaging, and informative technical presentations in order to become an expert communicator.  Traci co-authored the book with Christine G. Nicometo.

Engineering Quotes:

Here are the key points discussed in the episode:

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TCEP 071: Career Advice from AE Leaders from Across the Country

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Career Advice from AE Leaders from Across the Country

AE Leaders

In episode 071 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I am going to give you advice from some of the most successful AE Leaders in the country. I talk to Brett T. Hart, PE, SE, PEng, Will Schnier, P.E., Mike Nelson, Ernesto Guevara Ortiz M.ASCE and Randy Wilburn about different leadership aspects in the everyday life.

Here are some of the questions I ask the AE Leaders:

• What is one of the biggest things your firm is looking to find in civil engineers?
• How do you help your engineers to be able to focus, but at the same time foster communication?
• Tell me what mindset you take on to serve your staff and keep them going in the right direction?
• What are AE firms looking for when hiring civil engineers?
• Name one of the biggest challenges facing civil engineers today in their careers?
• What are some of the things a President/CEO of a company do on regular basis?

Engineering Quotes:

AE Leaders

AE Leaders

AE Leaders
AE Leaders

AE Leaders

Here are some key points discussed on career advice from AE leaders across the Country:

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Speech Preparation: Preparing and Not Preparing for Presentations

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Speech Preparation is a guest post by Shoots Veis, P.E.

Speech Preparation

I’m always excited when I get to deliver a speech, so I sent in an application to speak at a conference of operators on one of my favorite subjects.  I had spent two months with speech preparation and would be able to deliver it a couple of times for practice, between the acceptance at the conference and the day I would speak.  My proposal was accepted and I celebrate each time I get to convey the message, because I want my audience to walk away with a heightened appreciation for infrastructure.

Developing the presentation was not a burden because I believe in the issue and expended the effort necessary to develop a good speech.  I focused on defining the scope and objectives to fit them into a 30 to 45-minute time frame.  I found just the right story to open the speech and used graphical slides to reinforce each point.  I practiced several times before my first delivery and made small adjustments to the presentation after each delivery.  I have given the speech many times and it has never failed to be a hit.

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