A Failure to Communicate
Warfield often sees technical professionals trying to assess the reasons for losing out on promotions. "A lot of them are working toward management positions," she says. "They'll come to me, and they'll be shocked they were passed over."
Communications skills come to the fore as techies have been asked to explain their work -- and its value to the company -- to those in marketing, human resources, business development and even the CEO.
"More and more technical professionals have been put in positions where they have had to apply solutions to business," says Edward Hildy, president of Systems One, an IT search and recruitment firm. "That's forced a lot of people to communicate better. It's not technology for technology's sake."
What's the solution? Increasingly, techies or their companies turn to people like Warfield or Weintraub to help them develop their communication skills and work productively in team environments. Staffing companies, working with downsized employees, may help them develop their communication skills.
The message is clear: Improve your communication skills, or risk losing out on advancement opportunities or even your job. Think about communication skills in terms of job security. "If no one understands what they're doing, the value is not going to be there," says Hildy. "They're the first people to be laid off."
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