If talking with much less technical people
But not if talking with a brighter and more experienced person
>> tell the truth
> Why? Perception is reality in engineering
There's also the saying that goes "pick your battles". -- Compared to other things in life, how important is it that the managers know that in fact you work only so and so much?
There is no amount of "smartness" that will allow you to tell the difference... they will flatter you, shadow you, mimic you, and hide behind esoteric jargon. And chances are, you will be none the wiser.
I've met one or more such people already (no harm was caused, but thereafter I started paying even less attention to clothes and voice and self confidence etc). Good to get to hear your perspective.
Please note that I included the words "more experienced" -- meaning, you would be more experienced, know more than them, about the things they were talking about. Any esoteric jargon -- you'd know all of it.
But you had in mind areas where one isn't experienced oneself, and then I think you're right. It's a different thing than what I was trying to write about though
> Engineering is a charlatan's paradise
Aha, you meant that the engineers could be fooled by business/sales/law people. Then I better understand what you wrote. (First I interpreted that text, the other way around)