Overview

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An engineering leader spends a majority of their day interacting with others. Indeed, studies repeatedly point to the impact communication skills have on the ability of managerial leaders to succeed or fail. Too often, individuals move into managerial leadership roles without an awareness of the need to improve in this area. This course focuses on interpersonal skills such as listening, counseling, non-verbals, mentoring, coaching, building trust, and providing feedback. This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.

Syllabus

Purpose, Value and Vision: The Importance of Effective Communication

Welcome to your journey in engineering communication! In this first module, you’ll discover why strong communication skills aren’t just a “nice to have”—they’re essential for every successful engineer, manager, and leader. Whether you’re sharing technical ideas with colleagues, explaining solutions to clients, or motivating your team, communication is the engine that drives innovation and progress. Throughout this course, you’ll see how effective technical communicators stand out—not just for their expertise, but for their ability to connect, inspire, and lead. This module lays the foundation for the practical skills and strategies you’ll develop, helping you become the kind of professional whose ideas make an impact. Let’s get started!

Engineering You: Core Communication Skills

Welcome back! If Module 1 showed you why clear, transparent communication is foundational for engineering success, this module will convey how to connect with people in real time - especially when the stakes are high and the timelines are tight. Technical leaders earn influence not just by presenting flawless data, but by listening deeply, reading the room, and responding with empathy and precision. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to evaluate real conversations for hidden pitfalls, craft concise trust-building replies, and design a 5-minute 1-on-1 plan you can deploy in your next stand-up, design review, or stakeholder check-in. These are the human skills that transform a competent engineer into a leader people will follow. Let’s get started!

Communicating To Build Trust In an Organization

Trust is the quiet multiplier of every technical decision. In this module, you’ll spot trust boosters and breakers in real dialogues, rewrite messages to show purpose and fairness, clarify roles that raise psychological safety, and finish with a personal Trust-Building Plan you can start next week. These practices maintain integrity, mutual respect, and trust in every communication interaction.

Giving and Receiving Feedback That Builds Trust

Feedback is the fastest route from “good intentions” to real improvement - if it is delivered and received in a way that preserves trust. This module shows you how to give actionable, respectful input, accept criticism without defensiveness, and set up a feedback rhythm that keeps everyone growing. By the end, you will have a personal Feedback Cadence Plan you can launch with your team next week.