Translate the technical

When I was 10, I wanted to be a translator at the European Commission. That dream didn't go anywhere. And yet here I am 30 years later finding myself translating between technical and non-technical teams.

I've learned to speak technical languages that were not on any school curriculum. And every day I translate between technical experts and their not-so-technical colleagues. I reckon it worked out for the best. When someone is passionate about a technical area, they invest their time and energy in learning about the technical aspects.

Communicating about it is an afterthought. But if you're a technical team leader, the reputation of your team is dictated by how well you’re able to communicate the value of the work you do.

Sadly technical team leaders aren’t expected to be good communicators so when you do it well:

1. Being a good communicator makes you stand out from your peers because you’re not the stereotypical technical team leader.

2. You'll have more positive interactions with your team, your boss, and stakeholders.

3. You’ll be seen as a trusted advisor - the person to go to, when people need to find out what technical gobbledygook means. 4. And you’ll have more opportunities beyond the technical space because every business needs translators who can bridge the gap between technical and non-technical teams.

Translators are not just needed by the European Commission. Our workplaces need translators too. And if you lead a technical team, your workplace needs at least one - could it be you?