Susan Young's
Amplify Blog

Becoming More Approachable and Confident at A/E/C Meetings

a/e/c presentations aec communications trainer aec marketing body language charisma civil engineers communication skills confidence confident networking construction executives engaging engineering industry networking events nonverbal communication pursuits sales sales presentations Sep 06, 2024

You don't have to say anything at shortlisted interviews and networking events.

Others pick up on your body language and subconsciously decide if you are approachable.

Your nonverbal communication says it all.

Humans are "people-watchers."

Research has long shown that we observe more than we listen.

Prospects and clients make snap decisions in under five seconds about whether to engage with you.

This underscores the importance of your nonverbal cues.

How do you move and behave?

What is your face "saying" about your confidence and mood?

Are your gestures (even if you're standing alone in a luncheon) inviting and welcoming?

Yes, architecture, engineering, and construction firms hire me to teach staff how to confidently and clearly speak and deliver presentations.

It's easy to get your words tangled. I get it.

Still, impactful communicators reach beyond their words so they win pursuits.

They recognize that nonverbal skills are...

aec business development aec business growth aec communication aec presentations aec stakeholders aec teams architecture bd presentations career growth client communication communication skills confidence confident leaders construction executives construction industry credibility engineering industry shortlisted interviews Aug 28, 2024

If you''ve been in a shortlisted interview and don't have the answer to a question, don't beat yourself up.

Watch the 1-minute video above and quit the negative self-talk so you can truly shine!

aec growth aec leaders aec talent acquisition bd meetings communication skills employee communication employee engagement employee transformation gartner internal communication interpersonal communication leadership development leadership training post-covid workplace productivity talent retention team meetings time management Apr 18, 2024

Almost everyone in A/E/C is on a leadership and succession planning kick.

Employee acquisition and retention in our ongoing labor shortage poses unique challenges.

Interestingly, the challenges all circle back to communication.

YOUR communication.

We're often quick to pass the buck to our post-COVID world.

Or to Gen Z and their phone addictions.

Or to TikTok influencers and goofball memes.

Look, no one is to "blame" for the industry's struggles with interpersonal communication.

It's time to take ownership of our collective responsibility so we can all do better.

Like a drone, business and personal growth requires us to see the big picture.

This framework will get you started:

Exploring: Thousands of years ago, curious cave dwellers went on daily quests to find food. The word "quest" is the root of questions.

Are you asking yourself the right questions to uncover the root of what your team really needs?

Are conversations and meetings nourishing and...