How many times did you as a technical person say this phrase?
There are no bad intentions behind them – most likely you really wanted to protect your manager/client from technicalities – most likely those details would not contribute anything.
That is your side of the argument. The other party might have understood it slightly different.
Such incompatibilities in communication are the reason for many misunderstandings. Both sides want good, but communicate like a broken clock.
How to fix that? Let’s look into the DISC methodology.
A stereotypical CEO usually scores high D (Dominant style) and/or I (Influencing style) on the DISC behavioral plate.
Those behavioral styles fear loss of control (D), being taken advantage of (D) or simply rejection (I).
As an engineer you can prepare for this personality clash by using these simple guidelines:
- “too technical for you”: rephrase it. If you cannot come with a great and relatable example that establishes common ground – just say “it is very technical, let me think about a possible good explanation that will capture the essence from a business oriented perspective
- focus on value, impact and things that affect the bottom line. Most likely you can skip majority of technical details, focus on what impacts the project/product and can have tangible consequences in terms of money gain/loss, delays etc. D & I live by that.
- a big plus if you can immediately inform if you are already working on a fix – and communicate it having in mind the same “value” principle: “this problem is complex and we are working hard to find solutions
- confirm understanding along the way – remember “loss of control” and “rejection” (fear triggers)
- if you haven’t done it yet – establish a common vocabulary; if there are some technical concepts you cannot avoid – explain them in a relatable way, best if using business oriented perspective
It sounds obvious, but how many really practice it?
Believe me, this is one of many optimizations that can really have a huge impact on the CEO/Tech line.
I was meticulously testing and refining my communication simply to find out that it removes a lot of tension on my side and tremendously increases clarity of my message.
An added bonus is that decision makers will actually like to talk to you and they will find the time for you, because they will quickly register that you are not wasting their time.
How to get there? Start with yourself. A DISC D3 assessment or a similar personality test (there are free versions also) will tell you a lot – although a paid version that does not just the basic 4-styles assessment and a proper feedback session are absolutely worth the money.
