Consultative Skills Needed for Modern Engineers

💡 Technical skills alone aren't enough for project success! As a computer science engineer, I've learned that being highly skilled technically is essential, but it’s not the only ingredient for a project to succeed. Communication is the key. You can write the most efficient code, design cutting-edge architectures, or optimize performance to perfection, but without clear and effective communication, a project can stumble. Here's why: - Misunderstandings with clients or teammates can lead to wasted effort. - Poorly communicated goals or requirements can derail a project. - Lack of feedback or collaboration slows progress and innovation. What else matters beyond technical skills? - Teamwork: Projects succeed when we work together, leveraging collective strengths. - Problem-Solving Mindset: Technical skills help you solve problems, but the mindset to stay calm, analyze, and adapt is even more critical. - Time Management: Delivering features on time is as important as writing clean code. - Empathy: Understanding client needs and team challenges builds trust and better solutions. - Adaptability: Technology and requirements change fast. Being open to learning and pivoting is a superpower. In the end, success isn’t just about coding. It’s about building relationships, aligning goals, and collaborating effectively. Let’s not just be great engineers, let’s be great teammates and leaders 🙏🏻

I often teach a class on communications for civil engineers and it is a reminder that being a great engineer is not just about calculations and design. You can have the best technical skills in the world, but if you cannot communicate your ideas clearly, to clients, contractors, agencies, or the public, your impact will be limited. Engineering is full of complex concepts, and explaining them in a way that different audiences can understand is a skill that takes practice. Here are five key communication skills that every engineering professional should master: Writing with Clarity: Whether it is a technical report, an email, or a proposal, writing should be clear, concise, and to the point. Long-winded explanations or vague wording lead to confusion and misinterpretation. Presenting with Confidence: Engineers often need to present findings, designs, or project updates to teams, stakeholders, or decision-makers. Speaking clearly, making eye contact, and organizing information logically can make a big difference. Listening Actively: Communication is not just about talking. Engineers need to listen to clients, project teams, and regulatory agencies to understand concerns, gather requirements, and avoid costly mistakes. Adapting to Different Audiences: The way you explain a project to a fellow engineer is not the same as how you explain it to a city council or a community group. Knowing how to adjust your message for different audiences is essential. Handling Conflict Professionally: Disagreements happen in projects. Whether it is negotiating with contractors, addressing design concerns, or responding to public opposition, engineers must know how to navigate conflict calmly and professionally. I have seen students who were hesitant about communication at the beginning of the course completely change their approach once they realized its importance. These skills do not just help in the workplace. They help engineers lead, influence, and bring ideas to life. #Engineering #CivilEngineering #CommunicationSkills #Leadership #ProfessionalDevelopment (Chart source: ESMI)

I’ve had a number of chats this week with CTOs/VPs of Eng, around what they’re really looking for in senior & staff level engineers when interviewing.   I always try to be as current/honest as possible with my posts and with a lot of software engineers applying for jobs right now, I figured this would be useful.   This post is specifically aimed at engineers who are getting interviews but are failing in their solution design/final interview.    In 2022 we were getting 15 ad-responses a week. Now were getting over 500. This means hiring managers are spoilt for choice and are looking for that unicorn.   So what can you do to help yourself & land that gig you want?   The short answer is you need to be doing more than just writing good code. You need to demonstrate in your interviews, that you are capable with;    - Communication - Solution Design - Architecture - Stakeholder engagement - Influencing design and product decisions - Enabling and force multiplying others - Sequencing / Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery Practice - Risk management - (Truly) Understanding agile principles taking responsibility for your delivery end-to-end (and can articulate that you understand the problem it solves) … and all the things in between that will help that business & tech team keep their end user (customer) happy.   These are the common areas where senior engineers are falling short in companies with modern engineering standards (event-driven) and is whats differentiating devs who are getting the roles they want, to those who aren’t.   Heads of Eng are also interested in seeing if candidates can demonstrate that they have designed, built and understand complex systems, that they have the confidence to explain it in detail, and they understand how it impacts / integrates / communicates with other systems.   Let’s say you’re building a system with a RESTful API or an event-driven solution - you’ll need to be able to explain the architecture behind it, the decisions that influenced the design, what problem it solves and how end users benefit from it and engage with it.   In short – try and explain as best you can; how the design of said system aligns with the domain of the business and in turn – is keeping their customers happy. I know this sounds like a lot but these are the right topics to prepare for, before your final.   Deploying code has to always be compatible without any impact on the user, until its released. So try to think about breaking things down this way, thinking about the outcome to the end user.    Your code might be good, but to stand out – this is the stuff that can help you nail your solution design interview. Drop me a note if you want to chat - im happy to connect you with people from my network (if i cant help you). #interviews #technology #recruitment  

I have often noticed that engineers tend to focus solely on their technical expertise, overlooking the communication aspect of their work. Whether you are a software engineer, devops professional, or cloud architect, the ability to clearly convey complex ideas can make all the difference in a project’s success. Here’s how you can start improving your communication: 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀: Share your knowledge on LinkedIn, Medium, or your own platform. It’s a great way to practice clarity and showcase your expertise. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: Host sessions on technical topics you are passionate about. Teaching others solidifies your understanding and improves your ability to explain complex ideas. 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: Whether it’s required or not, document your processes, decisions, and results. This habit aids future reference and supports knowledge sharing. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: These meetings expose you to different perspectives and help you communicate effectively across teams. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: If possible, participate in presales to gain valuable client exposure and learn how to present technical solutions clearly. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵: Even in casual conversations with colleagues, practicing English helps build confidence and fluency in professional settings. 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Whether in meetings, emails, or presentations, ask for feedback. Continuous improvement starts with knowing where to refine your approach. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Communication is a two-way street. Fully engage when others speak, respond thoughtfully, and ensure their concerns are addressed. 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀: Code reviews are not just about finding bugs—they are opportunities to explain your thought process and discuss different approaches. 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲: Emails are a primary communication tool in most organizations. Learn to write clear, concise, and professional emails for effective communication with colleagues and clients. Having technical expertise combined with excellent communication skills will take you to the next level. I consistently write about developer productivity, platform engineering, devops, and cloud, aiming to add value and help you become a better engineer. If you find my posts useful, feel free to follow along.

Yesterday I gave a 3 hour communication workshop to high level tech consultants at Reaktor in Lisbon. Here’s what we worked on… The one thing that decides whether any technical expertise actually lands with a client: How you speak. Every word you say is either helping or hurting you.... Because in consulting, being reliable is the baseline. Being trustworthy is what keeps clients coming back. And trust is built almost entirely through everyday communication. 👉 How clearly you explain things. 👉 How confidently you handle questions. 👉 How you lead conversations when there’s pressure. The biggest pain points I see with consultants are always the same: 😬 They over-explain and lose authority. 😬 They sound hesitant when they actually know their stuff. 😬 They avoid difficult conversations instead of leading them. 😬 They rely on technical credibility and forget about human credibility. So yesterday we trained these vital skills. 1. How to structure ideas so they land fast. 2. How to speak with authority without sounding arrogant. 3. How to hold attention from the first sentence. 4. How to lead conversations with intention instead of hope. 5. How to drop the vocal habits that quietly destroy trust. The most successful consultants I work with all realise the same thing: Your technical skill gets you in the room but your communication skills build long term client trust. You can be the smartest person in the project. If clients don’t feel confident in you, your influence stays small. This is the work I do. Turning brilliant professionals into communicators who sound credible, calm, clear and trustworthy in every room they walk into. 💬 Comment if this is something your team struggles with. 🔁 Share this with someone wanting to step up their communication game. Follow Will Bremridge for tools to speak with authority and build real client trust.

Technical skills get you in the door. But non-technical skills keep you in the room. In cybersecurity consulting, it’s easy to assume that deep technical knowledge is the only thing that matters. Firewalls, cloud security, pen tests, frameworks: yes, they’re the backbone of what we do. But over time, I’ve realized something many consultants overlook: the non-technical side of the job can make or break client trust. Take report writing, for example. Today I was working on a 40-page deliverable for a financial services client. Most of the people who will actually read this report aren’t technical engineers; they’re C-suite leaders. They don’t want to sift through jargon; they want clarity. They want to understand risk in business terms and see recommendations they can act on. That means skills like: ->Structuring findings in a way that’s accessible to executives. ->Crafting recommendations that are not only technically accurate but also business-relevant. ->Paying attention to formatting, clarity, grammar, and even flow. ->Adding that human touch that AI can’t replicate: because when the “voice” feels robotic, clients notice. The irony? These “softer” skills are often treated as afterthoughts. But in consulting, they’re what separates a good technical professional from a trusted advisor. I’m still learning every day, but this experience was a reminder: cybersecurity consulting is as much about communication as it is about technology. #CyberSecurity #Consulting #CyberSecurityConsulting #RiskManagement #Leadership #CareerGrowth #ClientSuccess #BusinessCommunication #TechCareers

As civil engineers, we’re trained to solve complex problems, design resilient infrastructure, and manage large-scale projects. But technical expertise alone doesn’t build bridges - people do. In my experience I’ve seen a consistent gap in soft skills that are just as critical to success: 1. Communication - Explaining technical concepts clearly to clients, communities, and cross-functional teams. Dumb it down! 2. Emotional Intelligence - Listening, empathizing, and resolving conflicts with professionalism but many times just listen. Don't provide a solution! 3. Leadership & Teamwork - Inspiring collaboration and delegating effectively. 4. Adaptability - Navigating change, uncertainty, and evolving technologies. 5. Time Management - Prioritizing tasks without burning out. 6. Public Speaking - Presenting ideas with confidence and clarity. 7. Negotiation - Finding win-win solutions with stakeholders and contractors. Conflict is unavoidable, but contention is. 8. Body Language - Our body language and facial expressions communicate just as much as our words do! These skills aren’t just “nice to have”- they’re essential for building trust, leading teams, and delivering successful projects. Invest in developing the whole engineer - not just the technical side. What soft skills do you think are most critical for civil engineers today? What did I miss?