On the face of it, architecture is about incredible design, amazing products, and a lot of teamwork – and often at the heart of this lies good communication skills. You see, those who can explain and discuss ideas, visions, goals, and even concerns are often the ones leading the project in full force and will be the names to remember in years to come.

That’s not the only reason why language skills are so important in architecture either. Here, we explore it in more detail. 

Your ideas will be understood

As an architect, you’ll probably be required to stand up and present your ideas – which, you guessed it, requires effective communication skills. Alternatively, you might be asked for your opinion on something critical. If you can’t explain exactly what you mean, how will anyone else know what you mean, or even take your ideas seriously?

What’s more, you could be up against competitors in a pitch – where it’s crucial to be able to communicate that your team is the best one for the job. Going above and beyond to ensure the client knows exactly what your vision looks like could be the difference between getting the job and not. For example, taking French lessons to brush up on your foreign language skills to impress a French client will benefit you. Alternatively, if you know the client has a particular link to Spain, for example, showing that you can communicate with and use Spanish suppliers could also give you extra brownie points. 

By ensuring your ideas are understood, there is also less chance of things going wrong, which could save you a lot of time and energy and make sure you maintain a great reputation.

It helps you to work more efficiently 

It goes without saying that if you’re able to communicate with everyone in the room, you’ll probably be a better and more efficient worker. Not just because you’ll be able to build and maintain relationships but also because you’ll communicate exactly what needs to be done, when and by who. 

As an architect, you’ll be required to work with lots of different teams, at varying levels, so everyone must be on the same page. You need to be detailed but ensure that everyone understands the brief. That way, you can ensure optimum results. 

Your leadership style will improve

It’s not just about what you can do for yourself but also how you can support other people in architecture. In a similar way, you could learn another language to impress the client. If there are people in your team who are French, Spanish, or even Italian, for example, you could consider learning a little dialect to help bridge any misunderstandings.

Not only is this likely to make relationships even easier but it’s more likely that people in your team will come to you with ideas, questions and any issues. This is essential if you want the project to be successful. 

You’ll be a better listener

The best communicators and leaders always have the best active listening skills. This is because they not only listen to others around them but are more likely to take on board new ideas, and feedback and be able to comprehend any criticism.

This can help to prevent issues before they become a bigger problem. As a leader, showing that you are listening and allowing your team to speak can help people to respect your decisions in the future.

Of course, these are just a few examples of why communication skills – and good ones – are so important in architecture. While you might think that design, a creative flair and a passion for the brief at hand are the most important factors in the sector, without communication, they’re nothing.