I was looking at a PowerPoint presentation the other day (not one of mine) and I thought “What a great job this person has done of making a complex issue understandable.”
It reminded me that we often have two important, overlapping roles – acting as technical experts to solve problems and make improvements … and acting as teachers and mentors to persuade others that our technical assessment is sound and offers real benefits. Where we have different groups of stakeholders with different viewpoints and concerns, this can be the more challenging role
So, take a break from developing those technical skills and concentrate on your communication skills – both listening and teaching. It might be of more benefit in the longer-term.