Understand the role and importance of messages that support teamwork
Understand how to write messages to your teammates
Working as a Team
Atlassian is an Australian software company that develops products for software developers, project managers, and content management. Best known for its collaboration tools like Jira (a project tracking tool for agile development), Confluence (a collaboration platform), and Trello (a visual project management tool), Atlassian’s products are designed to help teams collaborate more effectively, manage workflows, and enhance productivity.
Atlassian has created its “Team Playbook” with exercises that help teams address challenges.
Working Agreements
In this exercise, team members collaborate and create guidelines to define how they will work best together. Check out the exercise.
How can team members’ individual preferences and working styles impact the overall effectiveness of the working agreement?
Team members’ individual preferences and working styles significantly impact the overall effectiveness of the working agreement in several ways:
Alignment of Expectations: Understanding each member’s working style helps align expectations, reducing misunderstandings and conflicts. For example, knowing that some members prefer detailed feedback while others want concise, actionable points ensures everyone feels heard and valued.
Communication Efficiency: Preferences for communication tools and methods (e.g., email, instant messaging, video calls) influence how efficiently the team exchanges information. If everyone agrees on the preferred communication channels, it can streamline collaboration and prevent delays.
Meeting Structure: Knowing how team members prefer to run and participate in meetings (e.g., structured agendas vs. open discussions) helps design meetings that are productive and engaging for all. This prevents frustration and disengagement during team interactions.
Flexibility and Adaptability: Considering different working hours and environments (e.g., early birds vs. night owls, remote vs. in-office) allows the team to create a flexible working agreement that accommodates diverse needs. This inclusivity can boost morale and productivity.
Feedback Mechanisms: Understanding how individuals like to receive feedback ensures that constructive criticism is delivered in a way that is motivating rather than demoralizing. This can enhance personal growth and team cohesion.