As a structural engineer, I enjoy the process of finding creative ways of designing buildings and bridges. Over an eight-year career, I've had the opportunity to work on many amazing projects, such as the Shard at London Bridge, and with universities and the media to promote engineering careers.
Not so long ago, I would spend my entire working day performing mathematical calculations and perfecting the production of technical drawings. I was happy and fulfilled by being an analytical engineer, however it was only when I started to consider where I wanted to be in 10 years, and how I might get there, I realised pure technical ability was not enough.
I noticed that the leaders in my organisation were all technical specialists who had successfully broadened their skillset. The characteristic that made them stand out was their ability to communicate their analytical insights and influence decisions.
So during the last two years I have made an effort to develop and improve my own communication skills. I was comfortable presenting engineering projects to technical audiences but have sought to push myself out of my comfort zone.
I joined a group called 'Taskforce' in WSP, a group of 10 early career professionals who are given business-related research topics and receive accelerated soft-skills training. What had originally been a daunting prospect, such as speaking to a group of school children or an audience at the House of Lords about engineering, is now routine.
Through practice I have become comfortable engaging with lots of different people and, in turn, those I interact with provide me with a fresh perspective on my technical work. They ask questions that cause me to think more deeply about my career and motivations. They challenge me to invent engaging ways to pique their interest in my industry.
I have come to realise that the communication side to technical roles has always been vital. The non-technical or soft skills are required from the day we apply for our first job.
An excellent academic record on paper might get us an interview, but our capacity to influence the assessor gets us the job. What is actually being hired is a combination of the way we communicate our past experiences, explain our decisions and the skill and enthusiasm we will bring to the workplace.
As we progress closer to leadership roles, we must learn the ability to manage people, influence others and build strong relationships with customers based on trust and reliability.
The successful leader is a balanced operator: the rational brain provides technical ability; the emotional brain connects and convinces.
Technical ability and the ability to influence are both vital to a succesful career. One cannot exist without the other. They are both skills we must learn and practice and excel at in order to reach our full potential, no matter what industry we work in.
Roma Agrawal is an associate at WSP
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