How would you communicate technical concepts to Cisco project stakeholders or clients who don't have a technical background?
As an IT engineer, you need to remember that your work is meant to support Cisco's business functions. This requires you to collaborate and communicate with individuals from other departments within Cisco who may not have a strong technical background. The interviewer wants to ensure you can do this and learn about your methodology for communicating complex topics clearly and understandably.
"In my role as an IT engineer, I will be required to interface with people from across Cisco's organization. I assume that most of them do not have a strong technical background. Therefore, when I discuss complex IT subjects, I will use simple language and speak straightforwardly. I will avoid acronyms or using terms people outside of IT may not understand. I will also frequently stop to confirm that the other person understands what I'm telling them. Additionally, I've taken several business courses which have provided me the ability to understand how companies function so I will be able to integrate IT concepts into Cisco's business practices and processes."
