Proper communication on the example of volleyball
Good communication skills are needed by all. Life would be much easier and better if everyone knew how to properly communicate. It would have been possible to avoid many problems and have time to do great things. Today I will talk about communication for designers, but I suspect that the rules are the same for everyone. So, you received a letter or comment on the work ...
Everything is very simple. It looks like a volleyball. On which side of the ball - he lost. You received a letter - the ball was on your side, you sent the answer or layouts, or questions - the ball was on the “client” side. At any moment, a “whistle” may sound. On which side of the ball - he lost. Try not to keep the ball on your side, pass it to the “enemy” as soon as possible.
12 simple rules:
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1. You are asked to do something. The conditions of the problem are clear. If you cannot complete the task in 1 hour and immediately send a solution or layout, then you write a letter: “Hello! I received a request. The decision will be on Wednesday. No questions. ” On Wednesday, send the design.
2. The conditions of the problem are not clear or you have questions. You immediately write these questions to the “customer” in the form of a numbered list. It is important to make it clear whether you will begin to do something about the task or will wait for answers. The ball is on the client side.
3. In the real world, the phrase “I'll do it during the week” means, at best, “Friday night . ” Never write “in an hour”, “at the end of the week”, “in two days”, “after the weekend" . Write “ at 14:00 Moscow time”, “on Wednesday”, “March 21” and so on. Use absolute time coordinates, not relative. They promised on Friday and did it on Thursday - great! They promised it on Thursday, and they did it on Friday - it was bad.
4. This does not mean that if a new task has arrived, you need to drop everything and immediately do it. We need to quickly respond and agree on the date when this task will be done. To do design - for a long time, to answer letters - quickly. It is necessary to answer immediately. Pass the ball.
5. If you want to change the communication channel - do it explicitly. For example, you received an e-mail and because of the “lack of reason” you decide to call on Skype. Reply to the email in the style of: “I will contact you via Skype . ” If there is a basecamp request, then it is necessary to respond in the same place. Or write there that you go to email / jira / etc.
6. Do not lose the task. Use any system. I use the principle of zero inbox . Every unread letter is a task. If I read the letter and have to do something about it, I mark it as unread until the job is done. You can choose any system at your discretion. But missing or forgotten tasks are the bottom!
7. It is very important for our “clients” to understand the status of the task. If the task is large, break it into pieces and inform the “client” about the progress of work on each piece. If you have ever watched the tracking of packages - it is very useful and fascinating to observe how it goes through all the stages. Let the task become the same “premise”. Transparent process - good!
8. Do not make assumptions in the case when you can take and directly ask. Something is not clear? Is there a possibility of different interpretations? Do not do analysis. Just go and ask. Home-grown analysts in such situations often create a lot of problems out of the blue.
9. Even if it is hard for you, you are tired and in general the day has not been set - nobody is interested. Be polite and positive. Try to put yourself in the place of your opponent. Do not write anything to anyone that you would not want to receive yourself.
10. Information is often lost. Something is perceived with an error, something is forgotten. Do not be afraid that you will insult the intellectual abilities of another correspondent, if you give redundant information or repeat something a couple of times. You will be grateful.
11. Put tsiferki! If you have a few thoughts in the letter, use a numbered list so that you can refer to a specific item. The same is about the pictures. You have drawn several logo options. Make a multi-page PDF and number the options. This will help you avoid a senseless and merciless situation:
- I like the second option.
- Right or left?
- Above!
12. Keep in mind that if you always respond quickly, then you create an Expectation. People will wait for the next answer. And if this does not happen, then they may be dissatisfied. So you can "drive" yourself.
If you follow these simple rules, your life will become simple and happy. In reality, most problems are not due to the fact that you have done a poor job. Conflicts arise because of false expectations, because of lost tasks, because of an opaque process.
about the author
Denis Kortunov, senior director of design at Acronis. In the past, co-owner of the studio Turbomilk, organizer of the Festival 404.
Everything is very simple. It looks like a volleyball. On which side of the ball - he lost. You received a letter - the ball was on your side, you sent the answer or layouts, or questions - the ball was on the “client” side. At any moment, a “whistle” may sound. On which side of the ball - he lost. Try not to keep the ball on your side, pass it to the “enemy” as soon as possible.
12 simple rules:
')
1. You are asked to do something. The conditions of the problem are clear. If you cannot complete the task in 1 hour and immediately send a solution or layout, then you write a letter: “Hello! I received a request. The decision will be on Wednesday. No questions. ” On Wednesday, send the design.
2. The conditions of the problem are not clear or you have questions. You immediately write these questions to the “customer” in the form of a numbered list. It is important to make it clear whether you will begin to do something about the task or will wait for answers. The ball is on the client side.
3. In the real world, the phrase “I'll do it during the week” means, at best, “Friday night . ” Never write “in an hour”, “at the end of the week”, “in two days”, “after the weekend" . Write “ at 14:00 Moscow time”, “on Wednesday”, “March 21” and so on. Use absolute time coordinates, not relative. They promised on Friday and did it on Thursday - great! They promised it on Thursday, and they did it on Friday - it was bad.
4. This does not mean that if a new task has arrived, you need to drop everything and immediately do it. We need to quickly respond and agree on the date when this task will be done. To do design - for a long time, to answer letters - quickly. It is necessary to answer immediately. Pass the ball.
5. If you want to change the communication channel - do it explicitly. For example, you received an e-mail and because of the “lack of reason” you decide to call on Skype. Reply to the email in the style of: “I will contact you via Skype . ” If there is a basecamp request, then it is necessary to respond in the same place. Or write there that you go to email / jira / etc.
6. Do not lose the task. Use any system. I use the principle of zero inbox . Every unread letter is a task. If I read the letter and have to do something about it, I mark it as unread until the job is done. You can choose any system at your discretion. But missing or forgotten tasks are the bottom!
7. It is very important for our “clients” to understand the status of the task. If the task is large, break it into pieces and inform the “client” about the progress of work on each piece. If you have ever watched the tracking of packages - it is very useful and fascinating to observe how it goes through all the stages. Let the task become the same “premise”. Transparent process - good!
8. Do not make assumptions in the case when you can take and directly ask. Something is not clear? Is there a possibility of different interpretations? Do not do analysis. Just go and ask. Home-grown analysts in such situations often create a lot of problems out of the blue.
9. Even if it is hard for you, you are tired and in general the day has not been set - nobody is interested. Be polite and positive. Try to put yourself in the place of your opponent. Do not write anything to anyone that you would not want to receive yourself.
10. Information is often lost. Something is perceived with an error, something is forgotten. Do not be afraid that you will insult the intellectual abilities of another correspondent, if you give redundant information or repeat something a couple of times. You will be grateful.
11. Put tsiferki! If you have a few thoughts in the letter, use a numbered list so that you can refer to a specific item. The same is about the pictures. You have drawn several logo options. Make a multi-page PDF and number the options. This will help you avoid a senseless and merciless situation:
- I like the second option.
- Right or left?
- Above!
12. Keep in mind that if you always respond quickly, then you create an Expectation. People will wait for the next answer. And if this does not happen, then they may be dissatisfied. So you can "drive" yourself.
If you follow these simple rules, your life will become simple and happy. In reality, most problems are not due to the fact that you have done a poor job. Conflicts arise because of false expectations, because of lost tasks, because of an opaque process.
about the author
Denis Kortunov, senior director of design at Acronis. In the past, co-owner of the studio Turbomilk, organizer of the Festival 404.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/323314/
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