The most requested skill today, aside from technical competence, is strong communications skills. Companies are desperate for strong skills in the area of their business, and also for strong management skills, particularly the ability to create and communicate clear messages. At the same time, many innovative professionals have ideas for new products, services, working methodologies or processes which could be extremely beneficial to companies in search of new directions to stay competitive. However, too often these ideas remain dormant, simply because of the inability of the originator to create the information package that would convince management of the benefits of the idea.

This talk addresses many of the areas which enable technical professionals to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in different situations. The course directly addresses basic skills of communications, such as preparing presentations, writing reports, and presenting technical papers. Successful communications consider the receiver of the communications, ensuring that the message is presented in a form which will be attractive to the receiver.

CELIA DESMOND (c.desmond@sympatico.ca), is President of World Class - Telecommunications, which provides training in management skills in business and telecommunications engineering environments. She has lectured internationally on Programs for Success in Today's Changing Environment. She manages and instructs in the Electronic Communications Management Certificate program at University of Toronto. At Stentor Resource Centre Inc., where she was Director - Industry Liaison she was instrumental in establishing the Stentor culture and processes. In various positions at Bell Canada, Celia provided strategic direction to corporate planners, ran technology and service trials, standardized equipment, and issued guidelines for the member companies. In Celia's previous line positions, her groups provided technical and project management support to large business clients. She is Vice President Elect of IEEE Technical Activities and Vice President Membership for IEEE Engineering Management Society. She has been President of IEEE Canada, President of IEEE Communications Society, and Division III Director. She is author of Project Management for Telecommunications Managers, published by Kluwer Academic Publishers (Now Springer).