Two Core Communication Skills

Note to the reader: This is a repost from LinkedIn

Two Core Communication Skills Every Engineering Leader Must Master One crucial skillset that distinguishes great engineering leaders is their ability to communicate effectively. While coding skills got us started in our careers, communication becomes increasingly critical as we progress from tech lead to manager to director. Here are two fundamental communications skills at various levels:

Skill #1: Listening The first skill might surprise you – it’s not about speaking, but listening. And I don’t mean the kind of listening where you’re already formulating your response while the other person is talking.

• As TL As a TL, listening is about understanding technical details and team dynamics. e.g., when I was TL and teammates shared concerns about our architecture, my instinct was to jump to solutions. But by practicing active listening, our discussions started to be perceived more as helping, and helped to address root causes rather than symptoms.

• As a Manager The scope expands to career aspirations, team dynamics, and unstated concerns. Regular 1:1s became opportunities to understand what truly motivated each team member, helping build stronger, more cohesive teams.

• As a Director Through skip-level meetings and cross-team interactions, you’re listening for patterns: Are teams aligned? Where are the collaboration bottlenecks? Catching misalignments early prevents much larger problems down the road.

Skill #2: Explaining The second critical skill is explaining with precision and adaptability. This isn’t about dumbing things down – it’s about meeting people where they are.

• As TL Your challenge is translating complex technical concepts into actionable insights. Start with the why, then the what, then the how. This structure helps engineers understand not just implementation details, but the reasoning behind architectural decisions.

• As a Manager The focus shifts to explaining expectations, feedback, and organizational context. One technique that’s served me well: preview the message, present details, then review key takeaways.

• As a Director You’re often explaining strategy and vision to diverse audiences. The key is adapting your message without losing its essence. Concrete examples and clear success metrics help bridge the gap between high-level strategy and day-to-day execution.

Communicating effectively is a multiplier effect These skills compound powerfully. Strong listening leads to better understanding, which enables more effective explanation. Like any technical skill, communication improves with deliberate practice. Start small – maybe active listening in your next few 1:1s, or clearer explanations in team meetings. Each level brings new challenges, but mastering these core skills builds a solid foundation for leadership.

What communication challenges are you facing in your current role?