The Value of Interpersonal Skills in Geotechnical Projects: a Millennial’s Four Year Experience

As young professionals gaining experience we are faced with greater levels of responsibility. Client
interactions, field investigations, preparation of formal documents and drawings, project management
and construction supervision are all tasks that come with a myriad of challenges. Add in the
complexity of geological materials and it becomes clear why many geotechnical leaders say that the
learning curve in geotechnical engineering is steep. The geotechnical engineering world is generally
fast paced and opportunities to reflect are fairly rare. When opportunities do present themselves, the
focus is often on sharing technical lessons learnt and advancements. This paper is written from a
different perspective. It discusses three projects on which the author learnt the value of maintaining a
focus on interpersonal skills. From these experiences the author was led to ask: with the first crop of
Millennials transitioning into professionals, how could the geotechnical field change with the latest
generation? This paper suggests that with the unprecedented level of connectivity in today’s world, the
current crop of young professionals should put a heightened focus on interpersonal skills like
communication, empathy and self-awareness. These skills each help us better understand our clients
and can help our clients better understand what geotechnical professionals do. It will also go a long
way in helping the young professionals of tomorrow get a stronger foothold on the geotechnical
learning curve.