Lost in Translation

“I can’t work with that manager anymore!” Tommy stormed into my office. “I told him it will take 2 months to do X. But he wouldn’t trust me. He kept giving stupid instructions that make no sense…”

“Well. It sounds you were lost in translation. Did you try to explain to the manager why it would take 2 months in a way he can understand?” I chuckled.

“Yeah, I gave him all the technical details.” Tommy answered.

“But did the manager have the context to understand the technical details?” I asked.

“I am not sure” Tommy hesitated, “He is new in this domain…”

When highly technical individuals converse with managers or stakeholders who may not have the same level of technical expertise, there's an inevitable "Lost in Translation" phenomenon. The language of technology can be deeply complex, filled with jargon that can be bewildering for non-technical individuals. When engineers discuss matters with managers, they are immersed in this technical lexicon, articulating the intricacies and complications of their work. On the other hand, managers are primarily concerned with deliverables, milestones, customer value, and timelines. But the other way is also true. Managers may take the business jargons into the conversations with engineers that engineers feel lost too. This discrepancy in communication perspectives can lead to mutual frustration, misunderstandings, and perceived micromanagement.

To bridge this gap, both parties must make conscious efforts to tailor their communication style to their target audience, using language and vocabulary that can be easily understood and absorbed. At the heart of this communication gap is the inherent imprecision of human language. An idea, when articulated, gets distorted by the constraints of language, and when these words reach the listener, they are subject to interpretation, which can differ significantly from the original intention. The key to effective communication lies in the practice of empathy – understanding the feelings, needs, and perspectives of the other party.

For example, if a manager expresses frustration with a two-month project estimate, insisting on a quicker turnaround, the technical person can try to unravel the actual concern. Rather than perceiving the manager as unreasonable, the engineer could probe deeper: "Can we deliver something earlier and iterate from there?"; "What is the driving force behind this requirement?". By approaching the conversation with empathy and curiosity, the engineer can transform the dialogue into a solution-focused discussion rather than a conflict.

Remember: communication is about conveying what the listeners need to hear, not just what the speaker wants to say. To do that, you need empathy, to understand the context of your communication. You need to understand people’s aspirations, what they care about and what they need.