Welcome!
ACTIVITY: Real-life Communication Experiences
Complete the handout by anonymously describing a real-life communication challenge you’ve faced, or a situation you’d like guidance on how to handle.
Communication In The Workplace
Building Credibility With Effective Communication Strategies!
Career Development Center Glenda Darrell & Terri Pennypacker
Ice Breaker: Pass the Message: Lab Edition
Together We Will Discover...
1. Hard Skills AND Soft Skills - IQ, SI, EI
2. What is Emotional & Social Intelligence - Reading The Room!
3. Adapting Your Communication Style
4. Why These Skills Matter for Getting and Keeping a Job!
5. Real-life Scenarios & Debrief
TRUE?
FALSE?
Delivering feedback kindly = classic soft skill
Recruiters read every single word on your résumé
Your GPA shows technical strength; surviving and thriving in group projects shows people skills. Both matter!
Recruiters read every single word on your résumé
It’s about sensing reactions, tone, and group dynamics — a key soft skill tied to emotional intelligence.
Recruiters read every single word on your résumé
Effective communicators adapt their tone, timing, and format based on who they’re speaking to. Adjusting for your audience shows emotional intelligence and strong soft skills.
Recruiters read every single word on your résumé
Hard Skills
Technical Abilities + Scientific Knowledge + Teachable/Training
IQ = Intelligent Quotient
SOFT SKILLS
communication + critical thinking + problem solving + ethics + leadership + continuous learning + teamwork + build effective relationships
EI = Emotional Intelligence
SI = Social Intelligence
What Employeers Are Saying About Soft Skills...
“Soft skill abilities give a person a competitive edge at the career level because, when combined with technical skills, they make a person more marketable in the highly competitive labour market.” B. Madhura, 2025
What Employeers Are Saying About Soft Skills...
“In addition to technical know-how and analytical skills, it is imperative to the success of new biomedical engineering graduates entering the workforce to have refined professional skills (shifting from the prior terminology often used of ‘soft-skills’ ) such as teamwork, critical thinking, communication, social responsibility, and organizational skills like prioritization/time management.” J. Jaworski and M. Cho, 2023
What Employeers Are Saying About Soft Skills...
“...in a 21st century workplace, lack of soft skills can undermine the technical ability of individuals and can cost them their job and / or potential career growth.” M. Hirudayaraj, et al, 2021
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Ability to recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
EXAMPLE:
After receiving critical feedback, you feel frustrated and tempted to argue, but you pause, take a deep breath, and ask politely how you can improve—demonstrating self-control and a willingness to learn.
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE
Knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to say it
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
EXAMPLE:
Knowing how to present a technical idea differently to a peer, a manager, and a client — ensuring each person understands and feels included.
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
Reading the The Room!
"Noticing and interpreting the emotional and social dynamics happening around you
Through both verbal and non-verbal cues — and adjusting your behavior to fit the situation.
Foster
Non-Verbal
Facial expressions, body language, gestures, eye contact, silence, overall energy.
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
What do you see?
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
Verbal
Tone, pace, word choice, level of engagement
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
Communication …
Communicating … Up - Sideways - Down
Leaders: Concise, brief (don’t want all the details), context, impact to company/team. Co-workers, teams, and clients — listen actively, stay open to others’ perspectives, and engage in the give-and-take of information. Those you lead — clearly share the what and why, be transparent, seek their input, listen actively, and help them see the big picture and how their work contributes.
In The Workplace...
People Communicate
- Cross-cultural: Working in a Globalized Economy
- Across age groups: 4-5 Different Generations in the Workplace
Employers expectations of new engineers...
Articulate clearly, speak up when needed, ask for help, and ask the right questions
… orally and in writing communicate effectively to non-technical audiences / clients / patients
… listening with empathy, able to take feedback, and follow instructions
7 Competencies for a Career-Ready Workforce
Career & Self Development
Leadership
Communication
Teamwork
March 2024
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Digital Technology
Written and Verbal Communication
Employers rate the importance of the 7 Career Readiness Competencies
Employers rate recent GRADUATES on the 7 Career Competencies
"Despite the AI revolution reshaping workplaces, human communication skills remain irreplaceable.
- Forbes 2025
Workshop Assessment
ACTIVITY: Communication in real life!
1. Each group will analyze a real-life scenario to decide what to communicate and how. 2. Consider who is involved, what’s at stake, your perspective, and theirs. 3. Groups will either role-play the scenario or present their resolution.
Q&A - Debrief
1. Every job is people-centered 2. Success depends on how well you share ideas, not just how well you design them. 3. Communication is built into every stage of work - sharing ideas in team meetings, writing reports, emails, and documentation 4. Presenting results to supervisors or stakeholders 5. Sharing feedback with colleagues — and being open to receiving it in return 6. Your expertise doesn’t speak for itself unless you do! 7. The way you do or don't communicate is part of your professional reputation. 8. The higher you rise, the more communication matters
BME Presentation FINAL
Team OPE
Created on October 15, 2025
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Transcript
Welcome!
ACTIVITY: Real-life Communication Experiences
Complete the handout by anonymously describing a real-life communication challenge you’ve faced, or a situation you’d like guidance on how to handle.
Communication In The Workplace
Building Credibility With Effective Communication Strategies!
Career Development Center Glenda Darrell & Terri Pennypacker
Ice Breaker: Pass the Message: Lab Edition
Together We Will Discover...
1. Hard Skills AND Soft Skills - IQ, SI, EI
2. What is Emotional & Social Intelligence - Reading The Room!
3. Adapting Your Communication Style
4. Why These Skills Matter for Getting and Keeping a Job!
5. Real-life Scenarios & Debrief
TRUE?
FALSE?
Delivering feedback kindly = classic soft skill
Recruiters read every single word on your résumé
Your GPA shows technical strength; surviving and thriving in group projects shows people skills. Both matter!
Recruiters read every single word on your résumé
It’s about sensing reactions, tone, and group dynamics — a key soft skill tied to emotional intelligence.
Recruiters read every single word on your résumé
Effective communicators adapt their tone, timing, and format based on who they’re speaking to. Adjusting for your audience shows emotional intelligence and strong soft skills.
Recruiters read every single word on your résumé
Hard Skills
Technical Abilities + Scientific Knowledge + Teachable/Training
IQ = Intelligent Quotient
SOFT SKILLS
communication + critical thinking + problem solving + ethics + leadership + continuous learning + teamwork + build effective relationships
EI = Emotional Intelligence
SI = Social Intelligence
What Employeers Are Saying About Soft Skills...
“Soft skill abilities give a person a competitive edge at the career level because, when combined with technical skills, they make a person more marketable in the highly competitive labour market.” B. Madhura, 2025
What Employeers Are Saying About Soft Skills...
“In addition to technical know-how and analytical skills, it is imperative to the success of new biomedical engineering graduates entering the workforce to have refined professional skills (shifting from the prior terminology often used of ‘soft-skills’ ) such as teamwork, critical thinking, communication, social responsibility, and organizational skills like prioritization/time management.” J. Jaworski and M. Cho, 2023
What Employeers Are Saying About Soft Skills...
“...in a 21st century workplace, lack of soft skills can undermine the technical ability of individuals and can cost them their job and / or potential career growth.” M. Hirudayaraj, et al, 2021
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Ability to recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
EXAMPLE:
After receiving critical feedback, you feel frustrated and tempted to argue, but you pause, take a deep breath, and ask politely how you can improve—demonstrating self-control and a willingness to learn.
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE
Knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to say it
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
EXAMPLE:
Knowing how to present a technical idea differently to a peer, a manager, and a client — ensuring each person understands and feels included.
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
Reading the The Room!
"Noticing and interpreting the emotional and social dynamics happening around you
Through both verbal and non-verbal cues — and adjusting your behavior to fit the situation.
Foster
Non-Verbal
Facial expressions, body language, gestures, eye contact, silence, overall energy.
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
What do you see?
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
Verbal
Tone, pace, word choice, level of engagement
Emotional & Social Intelligence (EI/SI)
Communication …
Communicating … Up - Sideways - Down
Leaders: Concise, brief (don’t want all the details), context, impact to company/team. Co-workers, teams, and clients — listen actively, stay open to others’ perspectives, and engage in the give-and-take of information. Those you lead — clearly share the what and why, be transparent, seek their input, listen actively, and help them see the big picture and how their work contributes.
In The Workplace...
People Communicate
Employers expectations of new engineers...
Articulate clearly, speak up when needed, ask for help, and ask the right questions … orally and in writing communicate effectively to non-technical audiences / clients / patients … listening with empathy, able to take feedback, and follow instructions
7 Competencies for a Career-Ready Workforce
Career & Self Development
Leadership
Communication
Teamwork
March 2024
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Digital Technology
Written and Verbal Communication
Employers rate the importance of the 7 Career Readiness Competencies
Employers rate recent GRADUATES on the 7 Career Competencies
"Despite the AI revolution reshaping workplaces, human communication skills remain irreplaceable.
- Forbes 2025
Workshop Assessment
ACTIVITY: Communication in real life!
1. Each group will analyze a real-life scenario to decide what to communicate and how. 2. Consider who is involved, what’s at stake, your perspective, and theirs. 3. Groups will either role-play the scenario or present their resolution.
Q&A - Debrief
1. Every job is people-centered 2. Success depends on how well you share ideas, not just how well you design them. 3. Communication is built into every stage of work - sharing ideas in team meetings, writing reports, emails, and documentation 4. Presenting results to supervisors or stakeholders 5. Sharing feedback with colleagues — and being open to receiving it in return 6. Your expertise doesn’t speak for itself unless you do! 7. The way you do or don't communicate is part of your professional reputation. 8. The higher you rise, the more communication matters