Thinking About Productive Teamwork
29 Jul 11
I recently read these two posts: "Teamwork ground rules" and "How to work with me". Both resonated with me, so I spent some time thinking about and compiling these posts into 10 maxims that I believe result in healthy team environments.
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- Communicate clearly and consistently - be professional, concise, save the BS.
- Don't assume people will dig through noise to discover important details, communicate them up front.
- Updates on progress are good, but don't say something is in the process of being done without saying when it will be done.
- If a deadline needs to change, say so, and don't wait until the last minute.
- It's not actually done until everyone knows it's done.
- Don't be afraid to ask for clarification, especially if it prevents wasting time on an incorrect approach.
- Don't point out a problem without suggesting a solution or course of action.
- If there is bad news or a time sensitive issue, report it immediately, and don't be afraid to interrupt whomever it needs to be reported to.
- Most people will forget to respond or take action unless something is delivered to them in writing.
- Do the homework to justify requests, especially if they involve dollars.
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