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O P I N I O N
W hen you talk with and observe as many people in the A/E business as we have over the years, one thing becomes abundantly clear. That is that architects and engineers who are good communicators really stand out, and they are usually very successful in their careers. If we truly want to elevate our people and help them achieve all they can achieve, we must help them be better communicators. The importance of communications
Some of these may include editing their writing before something goes out, explaining any changes that need to be made and why. Giving them feedback immediately after meetings and presentations and making suggestions on how something could have been better communicated verbally quickly after it happens. And all of this needs to be done in a helpful way versus a condescending and critical way “Let’s face it, most people don’t learn all they should about this subject in school. There’s much more time spent on design and technical training, and little time left over for subjects such as communication.”
Mark Zweig
Those who have these outstanding communication skills use them all day long every day, and things go better in pretty much every way. They sell more work, they have happier clients, they enjoy better relationships with their peers and all others in the organization, their projects are more profitable, and they are happier themselves. It’s especially critical now that there is so much less face-to-face because of COVID-19. So what can we do to improve the communication skills of all of our people? The answer lies in training and coaching. It takes a serious one-on- one effort to make a difference and really help people improve their ability to communicate effectively. Here are some things you can do: ❚ ❚ Individual coaching. Managers and mentors need to coach their people through a variety of means.
See MARK ZWEIG, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER JUNE 22, 2020, ISSUE 1350
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