Smashing Conf: The Most Important Part of Your Job

by September 9, 2013

In her talk at Smashing Conf in Freiburg Germany 2013 Inayaili De Leon Perssson shared some tips for working and communicating with others. Here's my notes from her talk The Most Important Part Of Your Job:

  • We are great at putting ourselves in our users' shoes, but less effective at applying those same skills to our working relationships in the office.
  • Our work is filled with constant communication -it is a very important part of what we do. When you work remotely, communication can be hard. You may be out of sight and thereby out of mind.
  • A human moment is when you are with someone in close proximity. Without these moments people's primitive instincts can lead them to be rude and abrupt.
  • Create a human moment when you go back to work. Stop and really listen to the people you work with.
  • Don't assume people understand the terms and processes you use in your work. You need to be able to get your point across. Part of communication is having a shared vocabulary.
  • Be clear about what you mean and make sure everyone understands the point you are trying to get across. Writing is communication too.
  • The next time you think someone doesn't get it... realize it is your responsibility to get your point across.
  • We value what we have labored on over someone else's work. Our ideas are more important to us.
  • As professionals, we shouldn't be blaming others for our faults. Before you point the finger, look at your actions first.
  • Pay attention in meetings to see how people are justifying themselves. You are doing this as well -become aware of it.
  • Help people become invested in the future by including their point of view in a story about where you are going.
  • Paint a narrative: tell a story about what is going to happen.
  • We tend to be over protective of our work and our plans. People are suspicious of plans they are not involved with.
  • Invite participation: when you feel you are being over-protective of your work, think about how you can invite others into the process.
  • Involving people early, gets people invested and prevents surprises.
  • Try to understand the reasons behind people's actions. We all need to work together. Get curious about your team's motivations and you'll work better with them.