I started my career as an engineer. It was, ironically, a great foundation for the work I now do in the field of social marketing and communications. It gave me a great understanding of how to think through problems methodically regardless of the issue. Most of the work my firm does is coordinating communications to communities regarding environmental and community issues and being able to understand the communication gaps that inevitably arise between the technical issues and community stakeholders.
However, I have to admit, that engineering background wasn’t great for what I like to call the negotiations of ideas. And as my career turned from “doing the math” to “communicating the math,” I quickly learned some important rules of thumb for engaging with people and negotiating ideas to build support for community programs.
One of my most important lessons came in my first project as a consultant. Continue reading “3 Keys to Successful Communication”