How does communication with the team make projects cool?
Hello friends! Today is an important day for me – I decided to start writing. I don’t promise to become active like many here, but it seems that I have something to say, especially to those who are just starting their journey in the field of project management, be it a Project Manager, Scrum Master or just a manager who cares about his team, and who wants to learn something new about non-material motivation.
The first topic of my article is perhaps non-standard and seemingly very underestimated, I’ll call it this way: Tete-a-tete: How communication with the team makes projects cool?! In the world of project management, one of the secret weapons doesn't always go beyond the usual “Hi, how are you?” These are thetas, conversations that take team communication to a new level. Don’t you think that sometimes communication in a project is like dancing on the keyboard: unpredictable and sometimes awkward? So, one-on-one is your secret button for livening up your project tunes.
Let's briefly talk about the main formats of thetas:
“Small Talk” – or, as I say, “let’s chat not about work.” This is a casual conversation on abstract topics, during which we receive a lot of non-verbal information, establish contact with the opponent to improve trust between each other. For this, an easy, seemingly meaningless conversation is needed. Start the conversation by talking about the weather, hobbies, dreams and goals, compliment your colleagues, and discuss recent events. In order to create a relaxed dialogue, pour some coffee/tea and make yourself comfortable. P. S.: I recommend that my team members pour tea/coffee and make themselves comfortable.
Personal tete is a conversation that allows you to get to know the employee better, understand what motivates him and what doesn’t. I advise you to start with questions: “What do you want to discuss at the meeting?”, “What is bothering you?” This will help discuss important situations, clarify points, and listen to painful issues.
Work tet – these are conversations related to the immediate activities of the employee at the moment. Once you have the answers, you can improve your performance. For example: “What do you think about the project? What do you think about customers? How can we make our processes better and more transparent? Are you satisfied with working in our company/department/team? What can be changed to make the work of the team/department easier?
Retrospective tete — allows you to collect feedback on the employee’s work and obtain information to study development prospects.
Guys, it is important to understand that conducting tests and formulating questions improves soft skills, so prepare in advance. Make a draft with questions, taking into account the activities and character of your opponent. And of course, be friendly and flexible. There is no need to include an “authoritarian leader”; you don’t want to communicate with someone like that, let alone share important moments.
For starters, here are four observations from my experience that can help you start conducting thetas.
When you arrive at a new place, conduct tests with all team members. If the team is large, highlight your main colleagues (for example, team leads, customers). Tetas will save a lot of time on immersion, and if presented correctly, you will learn about problems in the team, processes, etc. and of course you will collect all the gossip, which is also very funny.
If meetings are “silent,” you likely have trust issues with your team. It may be worth starting the work individually and moving towards improving trust through thetas individually with everyone on the team.
Thetas help team members not only discover, but also get to know themselves. Often people do their work simply because “they have to”, they burn out, and begin to think about changing jobs. With the right aunt, you can direct a person towards yourself and open up paths for development within the framework of current work.
When communicating with less sociable people, do not bombard them with questions like “What motivates you?” or “Tell me about yourself?” Start with introductions and specific work questions. Don’t get into your head with motivational questions; it’s difficult for such people to communicate within the “small talk” format. It will take patience and some time to communicate only about work, gradually adding general topics.
So, friends, don't forget that tete-a-tete is more than just chatting.
This is a tool for creating harmony in a team and giving projects that cool sound. Good luck with your communication and project management!
