Engineering Communication Skills

Communication is one of the most underrated skills in AI/ML. Not just storytelling, but effective, clear communication with different teams and stakeholders. It's a critical component that determines the success of any strategy. There's a growing sentiment among a few technologists that AI will automate everything, with agents building things autonomously. In contrast, some business leaders are questioning the business value of such deep investments. These are two opposing views, and the truth lies somewhere in between. Engineering and product teams are focusing heavily on models and platforms, while sales teams are pitching them with rosy promises. Business leaders are pushing for tangible impact, and actual users are often left clueless. This disconnect arises from either a lack of communication or misdirected messaging. Few teams take the initiative to translate technology into simple language and guide ground teams in adopting it. It's not the novel technology that has made some GenAI projects successful, but the clean messaging (internal and external). Nickle LaMoreaux, IBM’s CHRO, highlighted some of these issues in a recent Fortune article, detailing how a technical tool launch failed. Business leaders often advocate for change management, while technical leaders push for no-code to low-code platforms. Meanwhile, end users might just need an extension for their Excel sheets—a simple "co-pilot" or "assistant." I've learned the hard way that as you grow in your career, clear and impactful communication becomes even more crucial than technical skills, regardless of your job role. Think about the best senior engineers you've worked with. Did you admire them for their coding prowess or for their powerful documentation that made development easier? There is no substitute for "communication". Learn it or suffer. #ExperienceFromTheField #WrittenByHuman #EditedByAI

I write. He edits. She approves. They present. And the client still says: “I didn’t get the point.” Welcome to consulting ,where your deck won’t save you. But your clarity will. In a 2024 Bain & Company report, 83% of consultants across strategy, risk, and healthcare roles said communication clarity was more important than technical know-how during client reviews. And a LinkedIn Global Workplace Study found that among consultants aged 22–35, “executive communication” is the #1 skill gap during performance appraisals. Whether you’re a student aiming for BCG, a business analyst at EY, or a healthcare consultant decoding diagnostics for a Tier-2 city hospital, your ability to structure, simplify, and sell your message is what sets you apart. Cheers to our 3 months Leadership Communication program delivered at Deallus for all the senior consultants. Here are my secret beans from our training program : - Minto Pyramid Principle (Think: Top-down thinking) How to use it: ➡ Start with the main recommendation or conclusion. ➡ Back it up with 2–3 grouped arguments. ➡ Use logic and hierarchy to order them. Instead of: “First we did X, then we found Y, hence we suggest Z” Say: “We recommend Z because X and Y indicate…” Bridging Technique (Especially during tough conversations) How to use it: ➡ Acknowledge the question ➡ bridge it to your message ➡ deliver your point. “That’s a valid concern. What we’ve seen across 4 client projects is…” Use this during steering committees, Q&A rounds, or when you’re cornered. Contrast for Clarity (Great for decision-making slides) How to use it: State what something is, followed by what it is not. “This is not just an app upgrade. It’s a workflow redesign that improves patient handover by 40%.” Especially in healthcare consulting — where stakeholders include doctors, government officials, and global NGOs — communication is not a luxury. It’s a lifesaving skill. If you’re leading a consulting team or preparing your analysts for client-facing roles, I design hands-on Leadership Communication Programs to help your team think, write, and speak with executive clarity. DM me or drop a comment — let’s make your team unstoppable. Btw, what’s your way of communicating well in the world of corporate. #training #communication

Of course, soft skills matter, but which ones? In my opinion, every engineer should be better at these two: active listening and clear communication. Listening isn’t just about hearing; it's about being present processing information, and asking the right follow-up questions. Too often, we listen passively, just waiting for their turn to speak and sometimes even hoping that we need not speak at all :) Instead of listening passively, listen with intent. Clear communication is all about conveying ideas, decisions, and information easily clearly, and unambiguously. Be concise, structured, and complete; and say just enough to get the point across without unnecessary fluff. Apply this for your meetings, slack messages, or even documentation. One thing I proactively do is to observe and measure the number of clarifications asked in my communication. If there are too many such questions, then my message probably wasn't as clear as I thought it was. I go back and iterate on it and ask myself - did I really listen? - did I really understand what I was talking about? - did I communicate it well? This happened to me recently, so, coming from my personal experience :) I am a work in progress, and will always be :)

This one diagram explains why most leadership teams break at scale. Why “just adding more people” can quietly destroy your performance. At first glance, it’s just dots and lines. But look again and you’ll see why so many leaders feel like things used to be easier when the team was smaller. Every CEO feels it at some point, you grow from 5 to 15… and suddenly, clarity disappears. Decisions take longer. Alignment slips. Energy scatters. It’s not a culture problem. It’s a complexity problem and this image shows why. → 5 people = 10 communication lines → 10 people = 45 lines → 14 people = 91 separate relational dynamics And you’re still hiring. Most CEOs underestimate how non-linear complexity becomes after 10–12 people. They keep adding talent… but don’t redesign the structure. So what looks like a resourcing issue is actually a signal routing failure. Here’s what I tell founders and CEOs of scaling companies: You’re building a system of communication and accountability, and unless that system evolves ahead of your headcount, your org will stall in internal friction. At scale, communication isn’t a soft skill, it’s infrastructure. 📌 CEO Scaling Framework: 1️⃣ Simplify who owns what. If 3 people kind of own it, no one owns it. 2️⃣ Design decisions, not just roles. What gets decided where? What is delegated vs escalated? 3️⃣ Reinforce clarity, weekly. The bigger the org, the faster alignment decays. Reinforce priorities like a system, not a motivational speech. 4️⃣ Train managers early. Middle managers aren’t buffers. They’re your internal transmission lines. Build them like you build products. If your growth is outpacing your clarity, you don’t need another hire. You need to reengineer your operating model. #CEOLeadership #Scaling #ExecutiveStrategy #Communication #LeadershipSystems #Founders #ExecutivePerformance #HighPerformanceOrganizations

🚗 Risk Capacity, Appetite, Tolerance & Acceptance — The Roadmap You Actually Need Most debates about “risk appetite” get lost in jargon. Here’s the simple, road-trip version—and how to turn it into action. Risk Capacity – The highway’s physical limit. How much loss, volatility, or disruption the organization can absorb before breaching covenants, capital ratios, or survival. Think: the max speed the car can handle before the engine blows. Risk Appetite – Your chosen cruising speed. The level of risk leadership is willing to take to hit strategic goals. You could drive faster, but you decide not to. Risk Tolerance – The wiggle room on the speedometer. Acceptable variation around appetite for specific metrics (e.g., SLA breaches ≤ 2 per quarter, VaR ≤ X). Cross the line? Alerts and escalation kick in. Risk Acceptance – Hands on the wheel when the pothole shows up. A conscious decision to live with a specific risk (after cost–benefit thinking). Document the rationale, owner, and review date: “We’ll take this detour—for now—because fixing it costs more than the impact.” ⸻ How to Make It Real • Quantify Capacity first (capital, liquidity, regulatory buffers). • Translate Appetite into plain-English statements tied to strategy (“We will take moderate tech risk to digitize onboarding”). • Set Tolerances as measurable thresholds with clear escalation paths. • Log Acceptances formally—no silent risks. Revisit them quarterly. Bottom line: Understanding risk isn’t just about appetite—it’s about limits, flexibility, and conscious choices at every turn. #RiskAppetite #RiskManagement #Governance #StrategyExecution #ERM

My team and I once tried to hand-wave our way past Jeff Bezos with a large headcount request. He asked one question, was disappointed by the answer, and dug deeper. After a weak answer to question two, it was game over. Jeff declared that he trusted NONE of our proposal and sent us back, telling us, "Break down your requests to no more than 2 or 3 heads, tops, per line item. Then explain exactly what these small buckets will do." Once we did this, he went through the request line by line, telling us what we could and could not have. Overall, it was probably the most brutal experience I had with him in my 15 years at Amazon. While some people will read this and feel it was micromanagement, he was entirely right. We thought we had a blank check, so we made a big, broad funding request. We learned very quickly that while Jeff supported our mission, he expected us to spend "his" money carefully. Most people think executive influence happens in the room, by talking slick or having the right alliances. While communication and connections are hugely important, most of your influence is built before the meeting starts. Getting executive buy-in comes from understanding your executives, anticipating their concerns, and structuring your message around what they value. Here are two quick specifics: 1. Preparation If you walk into a key stakeholder meeting without preparing, like I did, you’ve already lost. The first step in preparation is clarity: What are you trying to achieve, by when, and why now? Then, define exactly what you’re asking for: a decision, resources, or permission to move forward. Finally, decode the humans. What does each stakeholder care about? What do they fear? How do they make decisions? Build your case in their language and plan your approach with intention. 2. Focus on Facts Executives are moved by accurate, outcome-driven facts. Shortly after this disastrous headcount audit, I was asked to lead the global expansion of the Kindle Appstore. This required taking 55 engineers away from other executive leaders to staff our rush effort. Our team won support by anchoring on three facts: (1) Kindle’s success in the U.S. was undeniable (2) The holiday deadline couldn’t move (3) Leadership had already approved a one-year draft to make it happen. Those facts aligned perfectly with what executives valued most: growth, timing, and company priority. If you master these skills, you’ll earn trust and support from senior leaders. In large organizations, this translates to success in your projects and success in your career. I've written a much more in depth Newsletter that covers these skills and more: https://lnkd.in/geEBPazP When have you either fallen into hand-waving or had to call your team on it?

You great ideas will die without executive support. Here’s how to get it. (even when you have zero authority) Here's your playbook to sell your vision when no one reports to you: 1. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 ↪ Translate your idea into revenue, efficiency, or risk Say, "This initiative can reduce costs by 15% in Q3" ↪ Frame it through their lens Say, "Here's how this aligns with your strategic priority of..." 2. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ↪ Pre-sell to influential stakeholders Say, "I'd love your perspective on this approach before the meeting" ↪ Create momentum before the pitch Say, "Several team leads have already expressed interest in..." 3. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 ↪ Start small, prove value Say, "Let's test this with one team for 30 days" ↪ De-risk the decision Say, "We can validate the concept with minimal resource investment" 4. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼 ↪ Give them ownership of the vision Say, "Your support could transform how we approach..." ↪ Create space for their input Say, "I'd value your guidance on how to strengthen this further" 5. 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 ↪ Align with budget cycles Say, "This could impact next quarter's objectives" ↪ Match organisational momentum Say, "As we're focusing on digital transformation, this initiative..." Remember: Authority isn't given, it's earned through trust and results. Your idea's success depends less on your title and more on how you position it. What's your best tip for getting executive buy-in? ↳ Share in the comments below 🔔 Follow Mostyn Wilson for more like this. __ Want fortnightly deep dives to make you even more successful? Try the Atomic Ambition newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eE287NTG

I was Wrong about Influence. Early in my career, I believed influence in a decision-making meeting was the direct outcome of a strong artifact presented and the ensuing discussion. However, with more leadership experience, I have come to realize that while these are important, there is something far more important at play. Influence, for a given decision, largely happens outside of and before decision-making meetings. Here's my 3 step approach you can follow to maximize your influence: (#3 is often missed yet most important) 1. Obsess over Knowing your Audience Why: Understanding your audience in-depth allows you to tailor your communication, approach and positioning. How: ↳ Research their backgrounds, how they think, what their goals are etc. ↳ Attend other meetings where they are present to learn about their priorities, how they think and what questions they ask. Take note of the topics that energize them or cause concern. ↳ Engage with others who frequently interact with them to gain additional insights. Ask about their preferences, hot buttons, and any subtle cues that could be useful in understanding their perspective. 2. Tailor your Communication Why: This ensures that your message is not just heard but also understood and valued. How: ↳ Seek inspiration from existing artifacts and pickup queues on terminologies, context and background on the give topic. ↳ Reflect on their goals and priorities, and integrate these elements into your communication. For instance, if they prioritize efficiency, highlight how your proposal enhances productivity. ↳Ask yourself "So what?" or "Why should they care" as a litmus test for relatability of your proposal. 3. Pre-socialize for support Why: It allows you to refine your approach, address potential objections, and build a coalition of support (ahead of and during the meeting). How: ↳ Schedule informal discussions or small group meetings with key stakeholders or their team members to discuss your idea(s). A casual coffee or a brief virtual call can be effective. Lead with curiosity vs. an intent to respond. ↳ Ask targeted questions to gather feedback and gauge reactions to your ideas. Examples: What are your initial thoughts on this draft proposal? What challenges do you foresee with this approach? How does this align with our current priorities? ↳ Acknowledge, incorporate and highlight the insights from these pre-meetings into the main meeting, treating them as an integral part of the decision-making process. What would you add? PS: BONUS - Following these steps also expands your understanding of the business and your internal network - both of which make you more effective. --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

A VP Sales in our monthly Exec Revenue Leader Peer group mentioned that every Friday at 2pm, their CEO joins an org-wide call with no agenda. Sales, engineering, product, marketing, CX team. Everyone shows up. Nobody presents. No slide deck. Just open forum. According to their CEO, it's the best hour of his week. Rep jumps in: "We've seen this competitor three times in the last two weeks. This is what they're saying. Here's where we're getting stuck." Marketing pivots messaging that afternoon. Engineering weighs in on whether they need to build the capability or can sell around it. Product asks if they're losing on features or trust. CX adds what they're hearing from customers in that vertical. Thirty minutes. Everyone knows what's actually happening in the market. Compare that to the alternative - rep mentions competitor in Slack, marketing sees it three days later, product adds it to next quarter's roadmap review. By the time anything changes, you've lost four more deals to the same objection. Everyone wants to automate enablement through AI agents and conversation intelligence. We use these tools. They're helpful. But there's ZERO substitute for getting your smartest people in a room to share what's working and what's breaking. The rep in Chicago learns what the rep in Austin figured out last week. The engineer hears directly from buyers instead of through three layers of telephone. Marketing gets real competitive intel instead of sanitized feedback. Weekly matters. Monthly loses momentum. Recording it means people can catch up asynchronously instead of actually having to show up to things. Companies bend over backwards building the perfect tech stack for knowledge sharing when the answer is simpler: Make it really fucking easy for people to talk to each other.