To simplify the idea, this transformation into a senior engineer starts to happen when you stop caring much about technical stuff and discover new interest in solving bigger problems to which technology is just an instrument. Basically, when you de-prioritize your initial fascination with technologies, tools, frameworks, data structures and algorithms and refocus your efforts on the bigger picture. At that point you'll begin shifting towards a different kind of a specialist. You'll see your attitude to work changing too, you'll be doing things based on other considerations and you'll be operating within a different set of constraints. Then you'll see your other abilities developing as well, including good communication skills.<p>I'm not sure if you can or should forcefully push that change through though. Not everybody is cut out to be a senior engineer, team leader or entrepreneur. I'm saying it with no negative implication, mind you. People have various abilities and should value them. A great software engineer pushed into a senior role might just not have the right personality type and will be miserable at it, even if he/she was great at coding things. At best just leave it there, do your job well and let this change eventually arrive to you when you're ready for it.<p>Myself, I went through that change a few years ago when I reached a ceiling as an employed worker and went on to do my own projects. That was the time when I gained a lot of new technical skills and also underwent a serious personal transformation, that last part changing me in many interesting and subtle ways.<p>One other thing that made me a better communicator happened to be writing. Some years ago I started a programming blog, at least that was the initial idea. Technical writing did not work out for me and I then went on to write a series of essays, both programming-related and not so much. This has had a profound effect on my communication abilities more than anything else that I've done in my time. It's something you may consider trying as well, if you have an inclination towards this line of work.<p>Whatever you do or don't do, eventually you'll get there if you're supposed to be there, based on your abilities, personality and individual inclinations. Then along the way you'll figure out what you should do next to support that transformation of yours.