Like everything in life, these should not absolute.
My team has been on a streak lately. One of the ingredients of our successes is the framework we’ve established to better work together.
Every quarter we elect principles that serve as a written reference of the way we want to work. Each team member gets to nominate new principles.
We equally distribute a total number of votes equal to ½ the headcount (ie. in a team of 4 members each has 2 votes).
Anything that gets more than half the total votes is instantly in or out.
You can cast multiple votes on a single principle.
Communication
#1 The most important goes at the top
You are not writing a novel. Stage your narrative.
#2 If she doesn’t get it, so won’t your audience
Good communication is simple.
#3 If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter
Simple isn’t enough. Be brief.
#4 Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]
The only way to communicate metrics.
#5 Grownups like numbers
The Little Prince piece of advice that held true beyond childhood.
#6 Ideas are only as good as one’s ability to explain them
Stole from the marketing website of a boutique consulting firm.
#7 A tragedy has: a beginning, a middle and an end
Just like this section.
Process
#8 Keep it simple. Stay focused
This is not just true to comms, make it a mantra of your work.
#9 If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there
Set your goal before you start. Always.
#10 80% of the output comes from 20% of the input
Follow this principle to plan your workload.
#11 It’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission
Move fast and break things. Your life depends on it.
#12 Don’t allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good
Or as Sheryl Sandberg would put it. Done is better than perfect.
#13 Fishing rod, not fish
Never be in a position to write an handover document.
#14 Give Away Your Legos
How to achieve n6.
Etiquette
#15 Don’t alter the demo while presenting
Learn how to behave in a presentation, take notes, don’t mess with your demo.
#16 The customer is always right
Don’t just say it, believe it.
#17 Pay it forward
Not just good karma, learn how to be a better person.
#18 Think before you speak or act
Still practicing.
#19 We hire smart people to tell us what to do
Important to remind the resident team as much as the incoming one.
#20 In God we trust; all others must bring data
Don’t take decision based on guts. You are not the only one dependent on this.
#21 If you’re doing it, you better be serious about it
It’s important to remind ourselves we are committed.
👋🏼fabri here, former founder and consultant
working with startups, helping them grow
