Best tool for a successful Team
                       - Communication

Have you ever been to a park where there are squirrels? I always see them talking to each other. They keep eating and just talking something. My sister and I use to just sit next to a tree and look at them and make our own believe conversation between two squirrels. It was funny but now I can relate it.

I was in the kitchen of my office a few days back and I saw a group of people sitting and discussing about their project. Although they were talking in English I felt like all the squirrels are talking to each other and I could not understand even a bit. If I can’t even understand it then is communication that important for a team? They all seem to enjoy and laugh during their communication. This is exactly my point.

When a team works together for a goal, the first understanding is everyone should be on the same page. So the lead takes the responsibility of letting the team know every minor detail or update which they should get. Is that enough?

In my opinion communication between team is way more than project updates or some assignments or status matrix. A team communicates from the morning greetings to the evening greetings. Below are few points which make different level of communication a better team

   Everyday small update meeting: This could be in the morning or in the evening or just a small group discussion around the workstation. This is just to give some updates to each other.

    Multi chat window: In testing world we often come to a place where there is a need of more than one tester in testing a scenario or just when a lead wants to ask everyone to update the defects. Multi chat window is a great tool which brings excitement and fun as well. People can talk openly, share smiley and it can be short and crisp as well.

   Shoulder tap coffee: I just like to tap someone from the team when I am going for coffee and if they want to go for coffee as well, it is time to chat. This sounds simple and everyone does it in day to day life but how many of us go with almost the same people every day, if not alone. I like to ask different people so that I can talk to all, may be just some personal stuff or may be something about project. 

     Small weekly or bi-weekly team coffee: I believe that such a session open up people for conversations that they would resist in a close meeting room. It is a proven fact that people tend to think and talk more openly in open and casual sitting. These gatherings can be short, just for 30 mins or so. Such meetings reduce the friction between team members and help them grow better understanding towards each other.

Team Lunch: This is common in most of the work places and works absolutely fine. Everyone becomes excited about going out, choosing a restaurant. When the whole team is out of office for a long time they tend to forget all the worries and tensions in the office. Once back in office people are lazy for another hour but satisfied for the rest of the week. Most of the Team lunch is planned on Friday however I believe that Wednesday is the best day to go out, which make you feel like a Friday and so you can pass the rest two days very well.

One-on-One meeting: These meetings could be monthly or quarterly. Team members can get personal issues out on the plate. The lead of the teams gets good information and weigh what can be done to make it better. It is also a good opportunity to provide feedback to the team.

   

Appreciations: What is the best suitable time to appreciate a person? The organization might or might not have awards and we all know that the process for it will be long. That does not mean a lead cannot give a token for appreciation to his/her team.  This could be any trophy, a symbol of appreciation, which the team passes along like a soft-toy, a football, an amazing Rolls Royce car model.

Anything from casual to formal meeting, anything which give a person relief or which make them share some smile can be a way of good communication among the team. I know it is hard to maintain and keep it going but this will keep the team close and make them work towards the same goal, pick whichever suits to your team the best or just pick them all.

We all know that communication among team can bring a lot well but we tend to forget with every day’s busy life.