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Strengthening team communication, effectiveness and unity, week by week. |
{% hint style="info" %} Frequency: Once a week {% endhint %}
Team conversations provide an opportunity to reflect on the previous week’s work, share important updates, and discuss and debate decisions that may need course correction. These conversations also create alignment between team members and set the direction for internal and external projects for the upcoming week.
Communication is vital to every project, so it is important that we dedicate time to bring the team together. When everyone is aligned, projects run smoother and more efficiently and lead to exceptional products. Team Conversations confirm that the team has a common direction, and everyone’s efforts are geared towards the same larger goal. We recommend the use of the following framework to run team conversations effectively.
Recommended time: 20 minutes
At the beginning of the meeting, team members update the project board with short snippets of what happened last week. Everyone then reviews their colleagues’ reflections in the context of the project plan and key metrics, quickly making notes, and the discussion begins:
- What went well last week? How can we do even better this week?
- What did not go well last week? How can we make improvements this week?
Recommended time: 20 minutes
Next, team members look at what is planned for the upcoming week. They update the project board with new tasks and remove redundant ones. They also add comments about issues that might directly or indirectly impact the project.
Direct Impact: “We need to run a user study to test an idea that we’re not confident about. This will require 3 additional days that had not been previously planned”.
Indirect Impact: “I will be out for a week because of a family emergency. I will be working, but available intermittently”.
Everyone takes a minute or two to ask questions and seek quick clarification on updates that are not obvious. The team votes on which updates to discuss further. The topics should be ones that need the alignment of the entire team. Anything that can be resolved without everyone’s involvement should be handled outside this meeting.
Recommended time: 30 to 60 minutes
The available time for brainstorming is divided into smaller periods according to the issues that need ideation. If the length is inadequate, the number of topics is reduced through a quick round of voting.
The team brainstorms on the topics so that everyone is aligned on the new ideas for the upcoming week. While it is difficult to completely solve every problem in a short brainstorming session, the goal is to set a direction for each topic. Deeper brainstorming can happen later between those directly responsible for each task.
Recommended time: 20 minutes
Using inputs from the brainstorming activity, the plan for the upcoming week is adjusted. The discussion creates a rough estimate of how long it might take to accomplish the new tasks and how much can be completed before the next iteration begins. From this, the team has prioritised tasks with estimations. The project lead ensures that the plan is pragmatic, achievable and aligns with the team and business goals.
Use the following tips to make the most of your Team Conversations.
Leave your ego outside the Team Conversation. Using the words “works/doesn’t work” instead of “like/dislike” keeps the conversation focused on facts instead of making it personal. Our team is united by the goal of creating the best solution for the end user. It’s not about one person’s idea winning or losing.
Talk less, listen more. Instead of thinking of a rebuttal when someone else presents their idea, actively listen to the speaker. Ask for clarification to fully understand the concept, and then listen intently. Paraphrase a team member if you disagree to ensure that you have an accurate understanding of their viewpoint.
The premise of this common improv technique is to accept an idea as true and build on it. The goal is to refine ideas and gain clarity. Reserve judgement of others’ suggestions until you fully explore them. For example:
Person 1: I know this might sound crazy because we have an upcoming deadline, but running another user study before we make a final decision might provide the clarity we need.
Person 2: Yes, and then we can be sure that this feature is relevant for our users. Let’s talk to the product manager about pushing the deadline out a few days.
Cap each discussion by setting time limits in advance. If a decision is not reached, decide whether to continue the conversation later or vote to resolve the disagreement. Consider using a Time Timer so that everyone stays on track.
At Obvious, we make decisions based on evidence, not gut feelings. If your argument lacks evidence, we ask you to let it go and trust your colleagues’ idea.
We also try to reach a unanimous agreement with decisions, but that scenario is not always possible. Ultimately, someone has to decide, and that person is the Decision Maker. When the Decision Maker has to step in, feel free to disagree, but commit to the decision.