Transcript Role of Communication in Engineering

Role of Communication in
Engineering
IEEE- PES
CalPoly
Topics
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The components of communication
The cost of miscommunication
The art of small Talk
The art of presentation
Breaking the communication barrier
The art of conflict resolution
Leading from the front
The components of Communication
• Language
– Verbal
– Body language
– Complexity
• Speed
– Delivery
– Comprehension
• Direction
– One way
– Both ways
• Style
– Accent
– Smooth
• Acknowledgement
The Cost of Miscommunication
• Effective communication key to success ?
• Miscommunication could cost reputation,
money or even life.
• Miscommunication promotes disharmony,
hurt feelings and mistrust.
• Classic examples of costly miscommunication
are shown in following slides
Industry examples
• Miscommunication costing billions to
US Business in terms of lost work
hours, mistrust and conflict
resolution
• Negligence in following tailboard
instructions caused fatal injury
Industry Example
• Miscommunication in sign language
caused serious injury at a steel plant
construction site
• Failure to confirm completion of a task
before releasing traffic hold resulted into
serious injury to the crew
Industry Example
• Relaxed attitude and negligence, caused near
fatal injury to the crew handling downed
conductor
• Root cause analysis found that the crew
assumed conductor was not live because of
“Lock and Tag” notification and prior
clearance was available
2003 outage in East Coast
• Just after 4pm EDT on 14th August 2003 the lights went
out in NY, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont in USA and
Ontario & Quebec in Canada
• The root cause analysis the cause to be
miscommunication between system operators
rendering the Grid vulnerable to cascading failures
• Cost – 50 million people rendered without power and
loss of 18.9 millions in terms of work force and 2.3
billions in terms of manufacturing in Ontario alone.
After effects of 2003 Outage
• Formation of FERC and NERC to formulate
enforceable standards to improve monitoring
and reliability of the Grid.
• Formation of several Regional Reliability
Organizations to help NERC in monitoring and
enforcing hundreds of reliability and cyber
security standards.
The art of small Talk
• Communication starters could save you
embarrassing moments
• Practice makes hesitation goes away
• You don’t loose but gain everything by taking
up the first initiative
• You said “Hello”, what next?
The art of presentation
• Presentation is an important activity in your
profession
• Set up your goal for the presentation
• Presentation outlines confirm what you wish
to convey?
• Avoid clutter causing confusion
• Guide discussion conducive to attaining your
goal
Breaking communication Barrier
• Difference in Ethnicity, language or age could
create communication barrier
• Improving accent, compassion and respect for
your colleagues could be helpful
• Understand resistance to your ideas and
discuss it through
Cause of conflicts
• Cause of conflicts? Attitudes like
– You, a newbee..What do you know?
– Every Tom, Dick and Harry comes with a proposal
for change …..
– I don’t have time for this….
– Actually my way is better…
Art of conflict resolution
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Understand the underlying reason
Be sensitive to opposite point of view
Show respect and compassion
Offer alternate suggestions
Be prepared to negotiate
Work your way to an effective resolution
Leading from the Front
• Success belongs to those who cease
opportunities
• Understand the stakes
• Can you do it?
• Overcome hesitation
• Offer help
• You could be the one in the lead…