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Ekram Hossain, Editor in Chief
| Giancarlo Fortino | Andreas Molisch | Diomidis Spinellis |
| David Alan Grier | Saeid Nahavandi | Elya B. Joffe |
| Donald Heirman | Ray Perez | Sarah Spurgeon |
| Xiaoou Li | Jeffrey Reed | Ahmet Murat Tekalp |
IEEE PCS Proefessional Engineering Communication Series
© 2019 by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data is available.
hardback: 9781119474968
To the STEM professionals who inspired this book and improve our world, we hope you embrace your ideas and enjoy great success.
From Alexa:
To my parents, Dr. Gary and Diane Stough, who taught me to say “Yes” to challenges that are daunting, then go about figuring out how to accomplish them. Thankfully, the evidence of this upbringing is also seen in my siblings, Boyd and Laurel, and my own children, Natalie and Gary. To my aunt Rhonda Wilson whose constant enthusiasm about my accomplishments is the most gracious act of love. And to my husband Nathan who acts as my personal cheering section, endures the trials of a challenge‐driven partner, and whose positivity is priceless.
From Adam:
To my late grandfather Sal Arello Jr. who dreamed of one day being able to hold a book with my name on it and whose reminder to always “think before you speak” framed so much of who I am today. To Cassie Price and the Bradley University Speech Team for your mentorship and training which is reflected in my passion for communication. To my parents Paula and Keith Sharples and my siblings, nieces, and nephew for the laughs and love. And to my husband Chris for your unshakeable faith in what I can accomplish and your persistence that I always strive for greater things.
For modern engineers, technical knowledge is not enough. These professionals also need the skills to communicate their ideas effectively and create opportunities for collaboration, support, and career advancement. In fact, it is unlikely that an engineer will find success without cultivating these interpersonal or soft skills.
Soft skills can be squishy and intangible, and their presence in STEM curricula is secondary to subject‐matter expertise. More important, students do not always see the value in learning soft skills, such as verbal and written communication [1]. These students are naturally focused on acquiring technical knowledge, and do not yet see themselves integrated within the strategy of a larger organization. However, our everyday use of text messaging and cellphones has decreased our live, interpersonal conversations, and the associated skills are decreasing as a result.
Companies like Bank of America and Subaru now offer soft‐skills training to employees on topics, including shaking hands, making eye contact, showing up to work on time, and wearing appropriate attire [2]. Technical knowledge will always be valued but being workforce ready requires competence in both technical and soft skills. In particular, engineers often struggle with maximizing their speaking opportunities in ways that clarify their ideas and connect with a broader audience. This book addresses this gap.
Engineered to Speak tackles the topic of verbal communication in practical and applicable ways. Most existing communication texts offer high‐level content on a variety of technical genres or try and cover both written and verbal communication in their entirety. But the goal of Alexa Chilcutt and Adam Brooks is simple: they want to make you better speakers, better communicators, and better leaders. They dispel the myth that engineers are inherently poor speakers and then build a new foundation for communication success.
Alexa and Adam coach you toward recognizing speaking opportunities in the workplace and through the process of brainstorming, preparing, collaborating, practicing, and presenting your technical information. You have no better guides than Alexa and Adam. Their extensive coaching experience coupled with insights from practicing engineers have produced a text that is tailored for twenty‐first century technical talent.
On a personal note, this is the first title under my editorship for the series in Professional Engineering Communication. My goal is to deliver quality content that directly applies to your STEM career. Theory still has its place here, but that theory drives toward empowering you with results‐focused communication skills. This is not a series influenced by ideology and activism, but one focused on evidence and pragmatism. I hope that future titles elevate your classroom learning experience or your firm's next communication workshop.
Every successful series has an amazing team of people behind it. I appreciate the support from the IEEE publications team led by Vaishali Damle and her fantastic staff. Thanks also to Mary Hatcher and Nicole Hanley at Wiley. I only have the time to edit this series because of the support of my academic institution. I have called the Department of Technical Communication at the University of North Texas my home for almost a decade. Many of my colleagues are also my friends, particularly my chair Kim Sydow‐Campbell. These people all make me a better editor and a far more patient, thankful person.
Alexa S. Chilcutt, PhD, is an expert in the areas of public speaking, leadership, and team communication. With a professional background in public relations, she has been published in Public Relations Journal, Journal of the American Dental Association, MedEdPORTAL, and various state and national trade magazines on topics surrounding organizational branding and team leadership.
In 2018, Alexa was awarded The University of Alabama's Knox Hagood Faculty Award for the College of Communication and Information Sciences where she also serves as Director of the Public Speaking Program and Communication Instructor for the university's Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering REU Site: “Fluid Mechanics with Analysis using Computations and Experiments” (FM ACE), funded by the National Science Foundation. Alexa develops communication curriculum for various disciplines and is a regular provider of professional development training for corporate teams.
Adam J. Brooks, PhD, is a communication expert and a two‐time national champion public speaker focused on helping people make their ideas more effective through the power of speech. With a PhD in Communication and Information Sciences, MA in communication studies, and a background in Public Relations, Adam has coached numerous individuals to national acclaim. As the Director of The University of Alabama's Speaking Studio, Adam is responsible for a campus‐wide communication center focused on the training and development of presentation skills for young professionals.
Adam's work has been recognized by the National Communication Association, The National Speech and Debate Association, Regions Bank, The Community College Fellowship Program, and The National Forensic Association as well as college wide awards for outstanding teaching. As an assistant professor in communication studies, Adam is an expert in the areas of public speaking, strategic communication, rhetoric, and delivery.
Together, Alexa and Adam are the creators and instructors of the training workshop, Professionally Speaking, offered by the university's College of Continuing Studies. External to the university, they provide training to corporations around the world. Their method of training and ongoing support for professionals seeks to design profitable solutions to those delivering high‐stakes presentations and pitches.
A book is a tough task to undertake. In the beginning, we engaged in worrisome visions of traversing a difficult path alone. The reality was that creating this book was more about collaborating and creating community than we ever realized. In that same spirit, we want to acknowledge the wise, generous, funny, and motivating individuals who guided and propelled us along the way.
We are grateful to the army of practitioners who contributed their experience and insight to make this work relevant to others. Special thanks to Diane Sherman for creating her Sphere of Operation model one afternoon when reflecting on a previous conversation about the book's purpose. This model evolved into the Sphere of Influence that has guided much of our thinking.
To those who took the time to speak with us about the role of oral communication in their career, we are indebted to you. Without your personal narratives and examples, this would be like any other book. Thank you to – James Hans at Mercedes Benz US International; Daniel Schumacher at Torch Technologies, Inc.; Jenn Gustetic at NASA; Yuri Malishenko, Agile Coach at Danske Bank; David Daughton at Lake Shore Cryotronics; Noah Zandan at Quantified Communications; Steve Butsch at PowWow Mobile; Rajesh Mishra at Caterpillar Inc.; Tera Tubbs at City of Tuscaloosa, AL; Boyd Stough at Espy Revenue; Chris Ceroici, PhD Candidate at the University of Alberta; Sushruta Surappa, Graduate Research Assistant at Georgia Institute of Technology; Alexander Matlock and EcoCar Team 3 at The University of Alabama; and Annie Kary, a participant in UA's aeronautical and mechanical REU program and undergraduate student at Smith College.
This book would not have become a reality without the support, encouragement, technical expertise, and voice of reason of our Wiley‐IEEE editor Ryan Boettger. Ryan took on more than he bargained for when he partnered with us, but we can never repay him for extending this opportunity and helping us develop our voice as writers to make the book readable and enjoyable for our audience. Thank you to Destini Smith for her graphic art work, and the entire team at Wiley‐IEEE for bringing this project into fruition.
A project like this requires significant time to research and develop. As such we must recognize our incredibly supportive and encouraging Dean, Dr. Mark Nelson, and Department Chair, Dr. Beth Bennett at The University of Alabama's College of Communication and Information Sciences who were never short on wisdom and reassurance. Thanks also to our supportive colleagues in the Department of Communication Studies.
There are specific individuals whose advice has long shaped our thinking, and without whom this opportunity would not have been possible. To Dr. Kim Campbell at the University of North Texas for connecting Alexa with our university's aeronautical and mechanical engineering REU program in 2011 and more recently to Ryan Boettger at Wiley‐IEEE, and to Brenda Truelove at UA's College of Continuing Studies who was one of the first people to invest in us and help realize the potential of our expertise through the development of the Professionally Speaking workshops.
Finally, we would like to thank our former and current students and graduate teaching assistants in our Public Speaking Program. These young professionals have taught us as much about the value of speaking skills and the most practical parts of education as we purport to teach them. Special acknowledgements go to the STEM students we have taken under our wing over the years and had the pleasure of witnessing their development as confident speakers and presenters. Their influence can be felt in each chapter of this book! We look forward to future trips on their yachts.