Engineers are Able to Communicate (Here's the Formula)
- Danielle Franklin
- Oct 8
- 3 min read
There is a common misnomer that engineers are "A-types" that they cannot communicate and socially understand their societies policies for social etiquette and communication to be considered flowing.
The remedy for scarcity of communication is really independent of the choice of occupation, however the occupation of being an engineer requires focus, rigor, and completing tasks that lead to an outcome. A communication process is the same as any problem in engineering. For example, someone who is required to be social for work sometime believes themselves to be of a type of class that is considered to be non-social, thereby classifying them into this bin.
It is the necessity level of one to want to communicate and is given the freedom and support to do so in any social settings without judgements or expectations. You may find the creative inside the engineer has been there the entire time.
There’s a common misconception that engineers are “A-types” who can’t communicate or understand social norms well enough to participate naturally in conversation.
But the scarcity of communication has nothing to do with profession. Engineering demands focus, rigor, and task completion—yet communication follows similar problem-solving principles. Ironically, many people who must be social for their jobs label themselves as “non-social,” and society often reinforces that classification.
The real determining factor is a person’s desire and permission to communicate—without judgment, pressure, or expectation. When that freedom is present, you often discover that the creativity inside the engineer has been there all along.
What traps people—especially engineers—is something called a valence: a dominant societal viewpoint that shapes how people believe they’re “supposed” to behave. Many engineers have absorbed the idea that it’s their role to stay quiet, not speak up, and avoid contributing—out of fear. Fear suppresses communication, pushes people into others’ expectations, and hides their true voice.
This becomes serious when engineers face ethical and moral decisions that can affect lives. The engineers I know care deeply about their work—they don’t stay silent because they don’t care. They stay silent because our culture conditions them to.
It’s time to stop that nonsense and correct the misconception.
A Simple Communication Formula (Practice Alone or with a Friend)
These exercises use mock-ups—imagining or pretending using mental pictures—to build confidence, ease, and flow in communication. You can do them alone (in front of a mirror) or with a partner. Expect to laugh or feel awkward—that’s normal. It’s part of retraining, so try to complete each step anyway.
1. Originating Communication —
From You
If alone:
Sit comfortably. Say “Hello” out loud 10–20 times. Pause between each one. Try to put intention and realism into it.
If with a partner:
Have them read these prompts to you:
“Have someone out there start saying hello to you.”
Then: “Start saying hello to a live spot out there.”
2. Receiving Communication —
To You
Now imagine how others respond to the “Hello” you originated. Picture the energy and tone of their replies. Were they friendly, curious, neutral, dismissive?
As you do this, notice:
What did people “say” back in your mock-up?
Were the imagined responses positive or negative?
Did similar responses repeat?
Did your body react—tension, pain, hesitation?
Did you close your eyes, lose focus, or want to quit?
If you didn’t make it to the end, that’s okay—just try again another time. Each attempt builds new comfort and ability.
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