Communication is a skill that can be acquired and developed into a strength, yet is sensitive to the audience. Knowing how to communicate effectively can mean the difference between success and failure. The communication with an elected official is different than have how one communicates with the citizens of their community, and different when communicating with maintenance and operational employees. For example, an engineer cannot walk into a City Hall meeting and begin discussing the complicated diagrams of a Complete Streets Project as his audience may not be able to follow. Therefore, the engineer must learn how to effectively communicate to the elected officials at the City Hall as well as tailor his presentation to any citizens in the audience.
The Author
Sarah Terry, Assistant Consultant, LA Consulting, Inc., Manhattan Beach, California, APWA Member, Emerging Leaders Academy X and Leadership and Management Committee Knowledge Team
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