Engineering Inc - May/June 2018 - 57

t sometimes seems as though business is little
more than an endless stream of pitches and presentations, yet transforming all the speeches and slide
decks into bottom line results can seem overwhelming. Too often, listeners grow bored or impatient.
They misunderstand points, and they don't share the
same passion about the topic.
The challenges are particularly nettlesome for engineers, who frequently deal with complex technical topics.
Translating data, specs and concepts into understandable
images and words can be arduous. Persuading clients,
executives and colleagues to take action can seem daunting. Too often, engineers wind up presenting large volumes of information yet mistakenly lose their audience.
"There can be an inconsistency between what someone
says and what people hear," states Rose Venditto, principal at Beyond Words Consulting, an international presentation skills training firm based in West Palm Beach,
Florida. "You lose listeners when you don't communicate
effectively. It's critical to understand who your audience
is and what is important to them."
To be sure, successful communication requires a range
of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills that revolve
around speaking, listening, questioning, analyzing,
observing and evaluating. As David Stone, owner of
blüStone Marketing, a Savannah, Georgia, firm puts it:
"The single most important skill for business developers
is emotional intelligence-the ability to know and manage your own emotions and then recognize and respond
appropriately to the emotional reactions of others."

Communication and
persuasion are at the
center of business
success, yet engaging
audiences and achieving
wins can prove elusive

Communications

CORBIS/VCG/GETTY IMAGES

ING

COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN

Effective and persuasive communication addresses the
needs, values and desires of an audience. That much is
indisputable. But transforming the concept into reality can prove extraordinarily difficult. There's a need to
understand specific roles, expectations and requirements.
"The language of the CEO or CFO is very different
than the language of the COO or a project manager,"
says Jessica Hickey, founder and president of professional
training firm 1029 Consulting in Lynnwood, Washington, and author of Stop Pushing String: Getting Decisions
Made With the Five Languages of Business.
Hickey says there are five key elements to effective
business communication. These revolve around vision,
finance, execution, change and strategy. It's crucial for a
presenter to focus on these issues and provide the right
level of information for a specific audience. "You need
to connect with your audience versus going into 'data
dump' mode," Venditto says.
Another problem is speakers who frame things in their
own terms rather than trying to create relevancy and
value for the audience. "Just because you think you're
communicating effectively doesn't mean you are succeeding," she says.
MAY / JUNE 2018

ENGINEERING INC.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc - May/June 2018