Dr. Adam Link: Communication Builds Technical Trust
In this episode of Teach the Geek Interviews, I speak with engineering manager Dr. Adam Link about why communication becomes a leadership requirement for technical professionals. We discuss what breaks down when engineers struggle to explain their work to nontechnical stakeholders and how those breakdowns affect trust, alignment, and business outcomes. The conversation also explores what managers look for in engineers ready for more influence and practical habits that help technical ideas land with the right audience.
To learn more about Dr. Link, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamlink/
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Ohad Parush - When Technical Communication Becomes Leadership
Ohad Parush is a Chief R&D Officer here to talk with me about technical professionals communicating with nontechnical audiences from the perspective of a technical leader. We will discuss why communication becomes a leadership requirement, how breakdowns impact the business, and what separates technical experts from technical leaders.
To learn more about Ohad, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/ohadparush/
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Speaking from a President's View with Cash Mahesh
Cash Mahesh is a President with a proven track record of accelerating global business growth through strategic initiatives. With an engineering background, I wanted to discuss with Cash how, as a president, he views the effectiveness of technical employees communicating with nontechnical audiences. With his technical background, I’m sure he’ll have valuable insights.
To learn more about Cash, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakashmahesh/
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Turning Technical Complexity into Clarity with Yanik Berube
Yanik Berube is a VP Engineering with a passion for leadership, technology, and the people and teams who build these technologies. I wanted to talk to Yanik about the challenges translating complexity into clear and actionable insights. We explored lessons that any technical leader can apply to improve clarity, influence, and impact across their organization.
To learn more about Yanik, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanikberube/
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3 Presentation Skills I Wish I Had Learned Earlier
If you want to give better presentations, this video will help you avoid the mistakes I made early in my career. I share three presentation skills that would have saved me time, stress, and confusion. These tips will help you speak with clarity, keep your audience engaged, and deliver your message with confidence.
Whether you are a technical professional, a new speaker, or someone who wants to level up your communication skills, this video breaks down simple strategies you can use right away.
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Working with technical professionals so they can present more effectively, especially in front of non-technical audiences.
Get public speaking tips at http://teachthegeek.com/tips.
Dr. Ruth Jones - Physicist and STEM Advocate
Dr. Ruth Jones has over 25 years in the Aerospace Industry, skilled in Mishap Investigation, Optical Physics, and Engineering Management. She’s also founded It’s All About MEI, LLC, delivering speeches on topics like leadership, career development, and mindset. I’m curious to learn more about her founding It’s All About MEI, her journey to get to where she is now, and how a Physics major embraced public speaking.
To learn more about Dr. Jones, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/drruthjones/
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John Congdon: the PHP Architect
John Congdon is a web programmer specializing in e-commerce and database administration. He is also the CEO of PHP Architect, a force in the PHP space, publishing a monthly magazine, books, training, and hosting conferences. I’m curious to learn more about his motivation to start his own enterprise, working in the PHP space, and the ways in which speaking has benefited him.
To learn more about John, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncongdon/
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Lawrence Watkins: an engineer investing in the future
Lawrence Watkins is not your typical engineer. He has formed companies, worked in the investment sector, and is now the managing partner of Malcolm Garvey, helping organizations, business owners, and families use practical, market-driven approaches to improve the overall well-being of Black communities. I’m keen to learn more about the differences between entrepreneurship and corporate life, making the transition from one to the other, and the work he does now with Malcolm Garvey.
To learn more about Lawrence, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencewatkins.
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How to Ensure Your Audience Remembers What you Said
Last week we talked about making presentations less boring. This week, we take it a step further: how do you make sure your audience actually remembers what you said?
In this episode, I share practical tips for technical professionals to:
a. Craft a clear, memorable key message
b. Structure presentations so your audience can follow along
c. Use stories and examples that stick
d. Check understanding before it’s too late
Whether you’re presenting to colleagues, clients, or at a conference, these strategies will help your message land — and stay.
💡 For more tips on communicating complex ideas clearly, visit http://teachthegeek.com
Why Brilliant Engineers Give Boring Presentations and How to Fix it
Brilliant engineers often struggle to give presentations that are clear, engaging, and understandable — especially for nontechnical audiences. In this episode of Teach the Geek, I explain why technical professionals stumble in front of an audience and share practical tips to fix it:
✅ Avoid the curse of knowledge
✅ Use slides to support, not replace you
✅ Let go of perfection and connect
✅ Focus on what the audience cares about
If you lead technical teams or want to communicate your ideas more effectively, this episode is for you.
🌐 Learn more at teachthegeek.com
Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur: Speaker and STEM Advocate
Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur is an engineer with over 22 years of experience in the entertainment industry, leading projects in engineering, design, and technical management for major theme parks. Outside of work, she’s also a speaker and STEM advocate, inspiring the next generation of STEM workers. I’m interested to learn more about her work in entertainment, her STEM outreach, and speaking of course.
To learn more about Elaine, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineschomburglafleur/.
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Dianna Deeney: A Coach of Quality
Dianna Deeney is an engineer, product development coach, and founder of Deeney Enterprises. With over 25 years in manufacturing, she’s worked her way up from the plant floor to leading product design and quality engineering teams. She’s also the author of the book “Pierce the Design Fog”, showing how leaders can bridge the communication gap with engineers. I’m curious to learn more about her founding of Deeney Enterprises, her motivation to write her book, and the ways in which becoming an effective communicator has benefited her.
To learn more about Dianna, visit https://deeneyenterprises.com/
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Dr. Harold Lee III on life in corporate, founding a consultancy, and giving technical presentations
Dr. Harold Lee III is the founder of the Preferred Thinking Group, a consultancy that provides services such as soft skill development, career readiness training, and project management. I’m curious to learn more about his work in corporate, his motivation to start the Preferred Thinking Group, and the ways in which becoming an effective communicator has benefited him.
To learn more about Dr. Lee, visit https://thepreferredthinkinggroup.com/
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Jenn Stevens on Working with Technical Professionals on their Communication Skills
Jenn Stevens is the founder of Presence Coaching & Consulting, working with growing tech companies on the human side of technical problems. She has spent her career helping leaders discover that their biggest challenges aren't technical but are about communication, leadership, and navigating organizational complexity. I’m keen to learn how an organizational development consultant became the go-to person for leaders in tech companies when they realize they have people problems, not technology problems.
To learn more about Jenn, visit https://presenceod.com/.
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Jacques the Party Scientist is Bringing Joy to the World
Jacques The Party Scientist ditched his career in pharmacology to, among other things, develop the Joy Bootcamp, the first joy-based leadership retreat. We chatted about his corporate life in Medical Devices (something we have in common), his transition to self-employment, and the ways in which he uses speaking to spread his message of joy.
To learn more about the Party Scientist and Jacques, visit https://thepartyscientist.com/
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Darnell Dixon on STEM Advocacy, Being a Manager, and Technical Speaking
Darnell Dixon is an engineer and STEM advocate, working with local schools and organizations to inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists. I’m keen to learn more about his journey in Engineering, his advocacy efforts, and the ways in which speaking has impacted him.
To get in touch with Darnell, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrdixon/
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Engineer Kim Burton on being a Pilot, Giving Presentations, and Managing Others
Kim Burton is a director of project engineering. She’s a pilot, too. I’m curious to learn more about where her interest in Engineering came from, her work in industry, and how speaking has benefited her work life.
To get in touch with Kim, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-burton-2898b9a/. You can also find her on IG and X @kimengineers.
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Melanie Myles - Engineer Turned Coach: Master Career Growth & Public Speaking in STEM
Melanie Myles is founder of Arctic Butterfly Coaching and Consulting. She helps women in STEM take control of their careers via the GRACE framework. I’m keen to learn how an engineer got into coaching, her life industry, and the ways in which speaking has worked for her so far.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
To get in touch with Melanie, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniemyles/
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Dr. Barbara Oakley: From Military to Engineering, Learning, Altruism & Public Speaking Insights
Today my guest is Dr. Barbara Oakley, a distinguished professor of Engineering. She didn’t start there, though. She spent time in the military before embarking on a career in industry, which ultimately led her to academia. I’m curious to learn more about learning Russian, going back to school to study Engineering, the "pathologies of altruism", and the ways in which speaking has benefited her.
To get in touch with Dr. Oakley, visit https://barbaraoakley.com/
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Caroline Dunn: From Engineer to YouTuber
Caroline Dunn is a YouTube creator and author. In her corporate life, she started in engineering and transitioned to marketing before pursuing her current endeavors. I’m curious to find out more about her previous work life, the change to creator, and the ways that her past has prepared her for what she does now.
To get in touch with Caroline, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinedunn/
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http://teachthegeek.com/tips