Tighten Up Your Elevator Pitch

CAD Manager's Toolbox: New book teaches readers how to condense communication.

Being able to condense a complex set of issues into a clear, concise explanation is a skill that all CAD managers should develop. Because we spend so much time talking to people who don't really understand the technical aspects of what we do, the burden is on us to communicate in a way that those people can understand. And, condensing everything into a compact "elevator speech" allows you to start conversations that can lead to more thorough understanding.

Is this communication style a gift? No — it is a skill that any CAD manager can develop. In his book, The New Elevator Pitch, author Chris Westfall provides cogent strategies and exercises for crafting condensed streams of communication for any type of business professional.

For those CAD managers who say, "This book is all about making a sales pitch," I'd point out that asking for new software, training, or workstations is basically a sales pitch, isn't it? And like anything else you may ask for, making a great pitch to your boss will help you get what you want. After all, your management team can't approve a request that you haven't made, or one that they don't understand.

There is additional coverage in this book about social media pitches that may or may not be relevant to you, but the overall concept of sending a carefully crafted message to the person you're trying to persuade is exactly the sort of communication skill CAD managers should strive to develop.

If you believe that being able to communicate better with those around you can help your career as a CAD manager, consider reading this book and working through its exercises.