E22 Authentic Leadership for Technical Minds - with Saskia Slotboom

In this episode of the English for Engineers podcast, host Olivia Augustin speaks with Saskia Slotboom, a coach and trainer for professionals in STEM fields. They discuss the importance of soft skills, particularly emotional intelligence, in engineering careers.

Saskia shares her journey from engineering to coaching, emphasizing the need for engineers to develop interpersonal skills to succeed in their roles. The conversation also touches on cultural differences in communication and the significance of feedback in personal growth. Olivia and Saskia explore the critical role of communication in engineering leadership. They discuss the challenges engineers face in multicultural teams, the importance of building trust, and the need for emotional intelligence in technical fields.

The episode emphasizes the transition from technical roles to coaching, the shift from perfectionism to authenticity, and the significance of visibility and self-promotion in engineering careers. They also touch on the complexities of maturity in leadership and the necessity of understanding different communication levels.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL HEAR ABOUT

• The need for engineers to develop soft skills.
• How engineers can enhance their emotional awareness through practice.
• Understanding personal triggers helps in managing responses.
• Why slowing down to reflect can lead to better communication.

The English for Engineers podcast is here to help engineers and technicians from all backgrounds improve their communication skills and provide them with interesting facts so that Technical and Business English becomes their new superpower.

RESOURCES AND LINKS

Free Coaching Resources (Saskia):

https://www.saskiaslotboom.nl/download-reflectie-tool/

https://www.saskiaslotboom.nl/download-reflection-tool/

Free Learning Resources (Olivia):

https://www.marcode.org/freebies

And also check out the Emails for Engineers template package to simplify your project communication with engineer-written, ready-to-use English email templates.

Look into the Technical English Group Course for ambitious engineers, learn to communicate clearly with your clients, stakeholders, and subcontractors, and understand the logic behind technical English.

Catch up with English for Engineers episode #021 with Johan Bell, an experienced technical consultant with a focus on practical solutions and a strong affinity with Systems Engineering & Asset Management. 

CONNECT WITH SASKIA SLOTBOOM

A coach and trainer for professionals in STEM fields. In her coaching, she specializes in ‘soft skills’: communication, influencing, public speaking, and (personal) leadership.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saskiaslotboom/

Company Website: http://www.saskiaslotboom.nl

Free Coaching Resources: https://www.saskiaslotboom.nl/download-reflectie-tool/

https://www.saskiaslotboom.nl/download-reflection-tool/

CONNECT WITH OLIVIA AUGUSTIN

Olivia Augustin is a civil engineer and certified English as a 2nd language and Business English teacher. With her one-on-one lessons and group courses, she teaches non-native English-speaking engineers the kind of English that gets the job done. 

Work with me: marcode.org/solutions

Get the newsletter: marcode.org/newsletter

LinkedIn: Olivia Augustin

Instagram: @_marcode_