Set Your Work Relationships Up for Success
Whether you are starting a new job, building a new team, or simply want to hit the reset button with your current colleagues, here are some steps you can take to intentionally cultivate a sense of trust, get on the same page, and support one another better by designing your alliance from the start:
1. Talk about how you work best.
Start with a few simple fill-in-the-blanks:
The most fulfilling part of my job is …
Where I shine is …
You can count on me to/for…
Where I need help is …
2. Choose your systems.
Logistics: What will be your meeting frequency, time of day, and location?
Communication preferences: How will the team use email, chat functions, text, in-person vs. virtual?
Documents: How will agendas be created? Who will take notes and where will they be saved?
3. Talk about goals and metrics.
Don’t assume that you have a shared understanding until you actually say them out loud. Take turns articulating the top goals of the business, team, individuals, and what success looks like for each of you.
4. Talk about your roles.
Make sure each person clearly understands the primary function of others on the team. Are there any “gray areas” or areas of overlap that are causing or could potentially cause friction? Address them up front and talk about how you will resolve issues that arise.
5. Set your agreements.
Create a document that you will reference at the start of each meeting. Once you commit, honor your promises and promptly acknowledge any fractures in the relationship.
Sample agreements:
We will assume good intent.
We will raise questions or issues as soon as they arise.
We will address conflict with curiosity rather than blame.
Meetings will happen on time as scheduled.
We will keep all projects updated on our project board by the end of each work day.
We will not text one another during non-work hours except in case of an emergency.
