People Skills

As a software developer it is important to have good people skills. You have to find out what your users want. You have to communicate with them. If you cannot your are at a disadvantage compared to your peers who can. Your current position is determint by your technical skills only for 15 percent, I read somewhere. The other 85 percent are communication skills. Most of the well paid positions are occupied by people with poor technical skills. But they communicate.

As (almost) all geeks I am a bit autistic. Communication is not my strong suite. You have only to ask my wife. I can tell you she wishes I would communicate. As all wifes do I guess. Anyway it is not hopeless. Even if you are not a natural communication talent you can learn it. ‘How?’, you ask. By reading books about communication and start practicing. Learn form those how can. Most communication skills we all have but we do not use them. We do not use them enough. So read and practice.

I recommend the books from Dale Carnegie. They are easy to read and full of practical principals. Some of his books are How to Win Friends and Influence People, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living and How To Develop Self-Confidence and Influence Others Through Public Speaking.