Mastering Communication: The Engineer's Blueprint for Career Advancement and Technical Excellence

In the world of engineering, technical prowess is often seen as the ultimate measure of value. Engineers are celebrated for their ability to solve complex problems, design intricate systems, and build the future with code and hardware. Indeed, a deep understanding of technical principles, algorithms, and systems is undeniably the bedrock of the profession. Yet, as many seasoned engineers and technical leaders discover, the path to significant career progression and impactful contributions often requires more than just technical brilliance. It demands mastery of a skill that is sometimes overlooked, even undervalued, within technical circles: communication.

From 2014 to 2020, I held the title of CTO at VMware, first focusing on the networking business and later serving as a Field CTO for the Asia Pacific region. The role of a CTO, or Chief Technology Officer, is often humorously interpreted as either Chief Talking Officer or Chief Travel Officer. While I certainly embraced the travel aspect, especially with a territory spanning diverse countries like India, New Zealand, and China, I also found immense satisfaction in the 'talking' part – the continuous development of my communication skills, both oral and written.

My time as CTO reinforced a belief that had been growing throughout my career: communication is a key differentiator in a technical field. It's the bridge that connects brilliant ideas to successful execution, complex designs to clear understanding, and individual contributions to collective impact. Without effective communication, even the most groundbreaking technical work can remain isolated, misunderstood, or simply ignored.

The Early Seeds of Communication Appreciation

My journey towards appreciating communication wasn't immediate. Like many engineers, my initial focus was squarely on the technical challenges. However, the first significant realization of communication's power came during my PhD studies. Engineers, as a group, are often notoriously averse to writing. Yet, as I embarked on writing my PhD thesis, I discovered a surprising satisfaction in the process. Transforming abstract ideas and research findings into clear, coherent prose was a tangible act of creation, much like building a system. It forced me to clarify my own thinking and structure my arguments rigorously. Watching my ideas take shape on paper, growing into a substantial body of work, was profoundly rewarding, especially in a program that leaned more towards theory than hands-on system building.

This relative comfort with writing, compared to some of my peers, likely stemmed from my earlier education in Australia. High school English was a mandatory subject for university entry, and I found it far more challenging than maths and science. This challenge spurred me to work harder, leading to unexpected success in my final English exam. This experience taught me that effort in a difficult area could yield significant results.

My undergraduate engineering degree included a course, perhaps officially titled "Engineering Communications," which, despite its potentially dry name, proved valuable. We tackled challenging literature like Patrick White's "Voss," indicating the course didn't treat us as mere technical cogs. Crucially, it required formal presentations, an experience I found stressful but incredibly educational. My high school debating background offered a slight advantage, but the exercise highlighted the distinct skills needed for presenting technical information effectively.

Learning from Masters and the Power of Documentation

As I moved into my professional career, I continued to make presentations, but a pivotal moment arrived at SIGCOMM 1990. Witnessing David Clark speak, particularly his presentation on "Architectural considerations for a new generation of protocols," was transformative. His ability to make complex technical ideas engaging and exciting was inspiring. It was a clear demonstration of how powerful communication could captivate an audience and make them receptive to new concepts. I resolved then to improve my own technical presentation skills.

Around the same time, while working on the Aurora gigabit testbed project, I encountered another facet of essential technical communication: documentation. My "accidental smartNIC" project grew complex enough that I realized I could no longer hold all the design details in my head. Writing a design document became necessary, initially just for myself to maintain clarity. This document later became invaluable for bringing others onto the project, enabling them to contribute as subsystem designers and programmers. It was a clear lesson that documentation isn't just a bureaucratic chore; it's a fundamental tool for managing complexity, collaborating effectively, and ensuring the longevity and scalability of technical projects.

Moving from the research world to a development team at Cisco further solidified this understanding. Cisco had a vast repository of system design documents. Beyond formal Product Requirements Documents (PRDs) and system functional specifications, there were less formal but equally impactful documents, like Yakov Rekhter's concise two-page description of Tag Switching, which laid the groundwork for MPLS. In a place focused on building tangible hardware and software, documenting ideas and architectures was recognized as critical to realizing large-scale technical achievements like MPLS.

My experience writing the book "Computer Networks: A Systems Approach" with Larry Peterson further underscored the satisfaction and value of clearly communicating complex technical subjects. Completing the book, which was outside my official duties at Bellcore, was one of the most rewarding experiences I'd had in years, ultimately influencing my decision to seek new challenges.

Participation in the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) provided yet another arena where communication is paramount. To influence standards and drive adoption of ideas within the IETF, you primarily need to do two things: write clear, well-reasoned documents (RFCs) and speak effectively about your work to gain consensus. While "running code" is the ultimate proof, the ability to articulate the problem, the proposed solution, and its implications through writing and speaking is essential for building support and achieving impact. Working at a large organization like Cisco provided the resources to back up documents and talks with implementations, demonstrating the practical viability of ideas like MPLS.

These experiences collectively highlighted the indispensable value of both written and spoken communication in a technical career. I committed to continuously developing these skills, taking public speaking classes that had a huge positive impact, even if I still occasionally talk too fast when enthusiasm takes over. Learning techniques to manage delivery, even if sometimes forgotten in the moment, is part of the ongoing process.

Communication as a Differentiator, Not Just a Soft Skill

In my CTO roles, advising engineers on career progression was a frequent task. My advice consistently returned to the importance of communication skills. Technical skills are, without question, the foundation – the "table stakes" required to even play the game. But it is the engineers who excel at communication who truly rise above the pack. They are the ones who can articulate the vision, explain the complexity, rally the team, influence stakeholders, and translate technical possibilities into business value.

Crucially, communication skills are eminently trainable. The notion that some people are just 'natural' communicators is largely a myth. All the great public speakers and writers I know invest significant time and effort into preparing and practicing. Their seemingly effortless delivery on stage or clarity on the page is the direct result of diligent preparation, rehearsal, and refinement. It's a skill, like coding or circuit design, that improves with deliberate practice.

Furthermore, the act of learning to communicate effectively about a technical topic is itself a powerful way to deepen your technical understanding. In my final year at VMware, I became fascinated by quantum computing – a field outside my core expertise, filled with challenging mathematics. As I learned more, my excitement grew, and I decided to present on the topic at our Asia-Pacific technical team conference. The process of preparing that presentation forced me to structure my knowledge, identify the key concepts, simplify complex ideas for my audience, and anticipate questions. To explain a topic clearly to others, you must first understand it deeply yourself. This preparation significantly enhanced my grasp of quantum computing.

If you can learn a topic well enough to explain it clearly and engagingly to your audience, you will inevitably develop a deeper, more robust understanding than if you simply keep that knowledge to yourself. And if you can effectively communicate your ideas – and your passion for them – to the people around you, whether they are peers, managers, customers, or the wider technical community, you dramatically increase the chances of those ideas gaining traction, influencing projects, and ultimately having a meaningful impact.

Why Engineers Sometimes Struggle with Communication

It's worth exploring why communication can be a particular challenge for engineers. The engineering mindset is often focused on precision, logic, and objective truth. Technical problems have right and wrong answers, and the goal is often to eliminate ambiguity. Human communication, however, is inherently messy, subjective, and relies on nuance, empathy, and understanding different perspectives. This can feel uncomfortable or inefficient to someone trained to value deterministic systems.

Moreover, engineering education traditionally emphasizes technical subjects over humanities or communication arts. While this is changing in some programs, the historical focus has been on building technical competence, sometimes at the expense of developing interpersonal and communication skills.

There's also a cultural aspect. In some technical environments, deep technical knowledge is seen as the *only* currency that matters. Engineers who spend time on presentations or documentation might be perceived as less focused on 'real' engineering work. This perception, while often inaccurate, can discourage engineers from investing in communication skills.

Finally, many engineers are introverted. Public speaking, networking, or engaging in debates can be genuinely draining. Recognizing this is important, but it doesn't negate the need for communication. It simply means that introverted engineers might need different strategies or more deliberate practice to develop these skills in a way that works for them.

Key Areas of Communication for Engineers

Effective communication for engineers encompasses several key areas:

• **Written Communication:** This includes emails, reports, technical specifications, design documents, code comments, bug reports, and even instant messages. Clarity, conciseness, and accuracy are paramount. The ability to structure complex information logically and write in a way that is accessible to the intended audience (whether technical peers or non-technical stakeholders) is crucial.
• **Oral Communication:** This ranges from one-on-one conversations and team meetings to formal presentations and conference talks. Active listening is as important as speaking. Being able to explain technical concepts clearly, answer questions effectively, and participate constructively in discussions are vital skills.
• **Documentation:** As highlighted earlier, robust documentation is the memory and instruction manual of a technical project. It ensures knowledge transfer, facilitates onboarding, and provides a reliable reference for design decisions and system behavior. Good documentation requires not just technical accuracy but also clear organization and user-centric writing.
• **Presentations:** Whether presenting a project update to management, explaining a design choice to a team, or sharing research at a conference, presentation skills are essential for conveying ideas and influencing decisions. This involves structuring the talk, designing effective visuals, practicing delivery, and engaging the audience.
• **Interpersonal Communication:** This includes skills like active listening, providing and receiving feedback, negotiation, conflict resolution, and building rapport. These are critical for effective teamwork, collaboration, and navigating workplace dynamics.

Communication as a Technical Tool

It's a mistake to relegate communication solely to the realm of "soft skills." For engineers, communication is a technical tool, just like a programming language or a oscilloscope. A poorly written design document can lead to implementation errors. A confusing presentation can cause a brilliant idea to be rejected. Ineffective communication within a team can derail a project faster than a technical bug.

Consider the process of debugging. Often, explaining a complex bug to a colleague, or even writing it down clearly in a bug report, can help you identify the root cause. The act of externalizing your thoughts forces a different kind of processing and can reveal flaws in your understanding or logic. Similarly, explaining a technical concept to someone less familiar with it forces you to simplify and clarify, solidifying your own understanding.

In the context of system design, communicating the architecture, interfaces, and rationale behind decisions is not merely a formality; it's integral to building a correct and maintainable system. Without clear communication, different parts of the system may not integrate correctly, or future modifications may inadvertently break existing functionality because the original design intent was not understood.

Actionable Steps to Improve Communication Skills

Improving communication skills is an ongoing process that requires conscious effort and practice. Here are some actionable steps engineers can take:

• **Read Widely:** Pay attention to how effective communicators structure their arguments, use language, and engage their audience. This applies to technical papers, books, articles, and even well-written emails.
• **Write Regularly:** Start small. Write clear, concise emails. Document your code effectively. Offer to write design summaries or meeting minutes. Practice explaining technical concepts in writing for different audiences. Seek feedback on your writing.
• **Practice Presenting:** Volunteer to present your work in team meetings. Join a public speaking group like Toastmasters. Record yourself practicing presentations and review them critically. Focus on structuring your talk logically, using clear visuals, and practicing your delivery.
• **Seek Feedback:** Actively ask colleagues, mentors, or managers for feedback on your communication, both written and oral. Be open to constructive criticism and use it to identify areas for improvement.
• **Understand Your Audience:** Before communicating, consider who you are talking to or writing for. What is their technical background? What do they need to know? What is their goal? Tailor your message, language, and level of detail accordingly.
• **Focus on Clarity and Conciseness:** Avoid jargon where possible, or explain it clearly. Get straight to the point. Structure your communication logically with clear headings or topic sentences.
• **Learn Active Listening:** Communication is a two-way street. Practice truly listening to understand, not just to respond. Ask clarifying questions. Summarize what you've heard to ensure understanding.
• **Study Great Communicators:** Watch talks by engineers and scientists known for their communication skills (e.g., TED talks, conference keynotes). Analyze what makes their communication effective.
• **Take Courses or Workshops:** Many resources are available, both online and in person, to help develop writing, public speaking, and presentation skills.

Communication and Career Trajectory

The link between strong communication skills and career progression in engineering is undeniable. Engineers who communicate effectively are better positioned to:

• **Lead Projects and Teams:** Leadership is fundamentally about communication – articulating vision, motivating others, resolving conflicts, and providing clear direction.
• **Influence Decisions:** Whether advocating for a particular technical approach, securing resources for a project, or shaping the product roadmap, the ability to present a compelling case is essential.
• **Gain Visibility and Recognition:** Effectively communicating your contributions ensures that your work is understood and appreciated by peers, management, and the wider organization.
• **Build Relationships:** Strong communication fosters trust and collaboration, which are vital for success in any team environment.
• **Transition into Leadership or Architect Roles:** Roles like technical lead, engineering manager, architect, or CTO require a significant amount of communication, often with diverse audiences.
• **Succeed in Customer-Facing Roles:** Field engineers, solutions architects, and sales engineers rely heavily on their ability to explain complex technology to customers.

While technical skills might get you hired and enable you to contribute at a basic level, it is often your ability to communicate those skills and contributions effectively that determines how far you will rise and how much impact you will have. The stereotype of the brilliant but socially awkward "expert loner" might persist in popular culture, but in reality, the most impactful engineers are often those who can effectively collaborate and communicate their expertise.

Conclusion: Communication is the Engineer's Force Multiplier

In conclusion, while technical skills form the essential foundation of an engineering career, communication skills are the force multiplier. They enable engineers to share their knowledge, influence others, lead teams, and ensure their brilliant ideas see the light of day and achieve their full potential. My own career journey, from PhD student grappling with thesis writing to CTO communicating complex technical strategies across continents, has consistently reinforced this truth.

Communication is not a 'soft skill' to be dismissed; it is a fundamental, trainable skill that is critical for technical success and career advancement. Investing time and effort in improving your ability to write clearly, speak effectively, document thoroughly, and present compellingly will pay dividends throughout your engineering career, opening doors to new opportunities and allowing you to make a greater impact on the world through technology.

So, if you are an engineer looking to progress your career, don't just focus on the next programming language or technical certification. Look for opportunities to write, to speak, to present. Seek feedback, practice deliberately, and view communication not as a chore, but as a powerful tool that will enhance your technical abilities and unlock your full potential.

Larry Peterson and Bruce Davie are the authors behind Computer Networks: A Systems Approach and the related Systems Approach series of books. All their content is open source and available for free on GitHub. You can find them on Mastodon, their newsletter right here, and past The Register columns here.