Communicating with Authority

For engineering managers, communication is a topic that is relevant to nearly every aspect of our work. From talking with our teams and working with stakeholders to how we name software packages and variables, the need for clear and thoughtful communication is present in everything we do. A firm understanding of best practices in communication is important for every engineering manager.

Communication is one of the few force multipliers in leadership. The same series of events, when communicated well or poorly, will produce vastly different outcomes for individuals and teams. Language has the power to motivate, encourage, convince, contextualize, or simplify. It can prevent, avoid, or resolve a difficult problem. Or if it is not used well, it may cause misunderstandings, division, frustration, and anger. There is no exaggeration when stating that poor communication can lead teams to ruin and lose them the support of their stakeholders and leadership....