A big challenge: building new work habits for a networked world
Dec 4th, 2005 by Jon Stahl
At ONE/Northwest, we’ve been doing a bunch of experiments with different techniques for managing ourselves and our work, techniques designed to help us continue to be a nimble, flexible, effective and happy team as we have grown from 8 to 12+ over the past couple of years.
We’re using tools and techniques like instant messaging, VOIP, Wikis, blogs, RSS feeds, Today Messages, Weekly Plans, dotProject, Getting Things Done, Salesforce and more. Not to mention good old fashioned face-to-face meetings
But the biggest thing I’m learning from all of these experiments is how much there is to learn about how to work effectively in a complex network of poeple and information. And I’m realizing that progressive movements are going to need to invest a LOT more resources into teaching our people how to work effectively in this new kind of environment. It’s not obvious, it’s not intuitive, and while the tools are powerful, it takes some experience to wield them.
Update: More on our experiments coming soon, I promise. In the meantime, feel free to chime in with your collaboration frustrations. What keeps you from working most effectively with your colleagues, both within and outside your organization?
I look forward to reading more about what you discover.
Jon,
I too will be intrigue to read more about your discoveries. It sounds like you are using many of the same tools we are using here at CERF. One frustration of mine has been resistant (albeit subtle) to get out of email to communicate. Even with a tool like Basecamp that is fully integrated into email, there is a reluctance (and confusion) in using the tool.
I hope all is well in Seattle.
Sonny
I look forward to reading the best practices you guys highlight. The basics really matter. Regular staff meetings, open communications and clear expectations.
As far as tricks, webcams were a big win here. (We are currently playing with Ivisist.com to support 5 way webcam conference).
However, endless searching for the perfect tool or process feels often like professional procrastination. It is more of a time suck and not really an “answer”. I find that when I get “stuck” I need to get on the road meet the leaders in the movement our organization supports and get inspired by our mission and work.
There is no magic trick. Motivation, leadership, strong work ethic and personal drive produce more output wins than any incremental tinkering. Getting Things Done requires more getting your ass to work.
Do it on pencil The stronger we hone those the more adaptable and nimble our teams will in adapting technology.
Great post, Jon.
You might be interested in this Change This manifesto: Bioteaming.
It’ll be very interesting to hear more, especially if you’ve carried any practices over to cross-organization collaboration or vice versa. It seems like every coalition campaign just generates yet another email list.
Marnie- Thanks, this is good stuff… it resonates very strongly with a lot of what we’ve discovered here.
Carlos - we’re only just slowly getting into cross-organizational stuff, and as I mention above, I think there are some huge challenges around building up folks’ collaboration skills in larger networks. Getting noise out of email is indeed a huge challenge.
Marty - as I have been fond of saying for years, “Technology is no substitute for beer.” Effective collaboration is definitely more about offline behavior as it is about online tools.
How about checking out 37signals ‘Getting Real’ book ?
https://gettingreal.37signals.com/
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[...] A while back, I promised to write a bit more about some of the practices we use here at ONE/Northwest to collaborate amongst our staff of ~13 scattered across three offices. Here’s a first installment. [...]