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Ask Slashdot: Communication Skills For Programmers?
An anonymous reader writes "As a new developer at a young-ish software company, I've been told my communication skills need some work. I'm not painfully introverted or socially inept, but I get lost in my work and only contact people if I need something from them or they ask me a question. Traditional advice isn't relevant to casual, less hierarchical companies — I don't have to hold my tongue when someone is wrong or worry about formalities. But I do need to connect with people professionally, since my team members and managers decide my perf and advancement. How do you keep colleagues abreast of your work without having exponentially many needless conversations?"
Buy it, and read it. Then read it again.
This book changed my life. I had no idea how bad I was at dealing with people until I read it. I re-read it at least once a year.
http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671723650
If I were God, wouldn't I protect my churches from acts of me?
I think you cover a some important aspects, but I do have a couple things to add.
Communications can not only be lacking, but contain too much information. I had a manager long ago that told me to use Word's grammar check and don't produce anything over an 8th grade reading level when communications were going to non-technical staff. He also told me to limit emails to one topic, even dealing with technical issues, so that people could not confuse issues. That has turned out to be very sage advice in my career, and I have since adapted my own style for technical emails where management is included. I add technical notes after my signature, and in the summary email I tell people to review "technical details" if they need or desire the technical details. That habit saves me writing two emails for everything, but does not confuse the non-technical people.
Something else I do with certain management types is to simply set a reminder to send out a periodic status update on large projects. If you have your head buried in your work, but nobody is aware of what you are doing, you are not seen as really working. A very simple status message helps people gain and keep confidence in your work ethics.
Lastly, periodically ask for assistance with small things. Even if you don't need the assistance, it lets people know you are there and working for a "team" as opposed to being the guy with the "Red Stapler".
-The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.