We software developers are experts at communicating with computers. We master languages in order to elicit complex and intricate behavior while simultaneously making sure everything we write is consistent and clear. We have to keep in mind both the tiny details of syntax as well as the larger concepts of system consistency.
Yet we often are terrible communicators. We drag out meetings talking about meaningless and useless drivel. We cannot write English to save our lives.
Why this strange (and not to mention frustrating) dichotomy?
Perhaps it's simply emotional intelligence. In order to communicate with others, one has to be highly aware of his or her own emotions as well as the emotions of the other person.
If you make a mistake writing software, the implications of that bug are logical conclusions stemming from the bug itself.
If you make a mistake communicating with others, the implications are diverse and non-deterministic. They are dependent on the emotional state of that person, your surroundings, the time of the day. It's an utterly complex and chaotic system! No software developer in their right mind would design such a system; God must have a sick sense of humor, or just happened to major in Philosophy and Religion instead of Engineering.
So what do we do? We must practice. This is one of the reasons I started this blog. We need to become better communicators. If you're a software developer, and you're reading this, then take this as a hint. You need to start practicing. Communicating with others is difficult.
One quick and easy way to get started is by listening to the audio book How to Win Friends and Influence People. Trust me - don't read the book. Listen to the audiotape. Why? This book teaches you how to communicate and speak effectively. Since we often learn by imitation, we don't want to merely read something. It's much better to hear it so we can imitate it in our day-to-day lives.
Listen to it on your commute to work. You won't be disappointed.
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