Communicating Effectively As A Tech Lead

Transcript

1. Communicating
   Effectively As A
   
   
   Tech Lead
   Addy Osmani
   

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2. Simplify
   Optimize for your audience.
   
   
   • Adapt to the situation & context.
   
   
   • This may mean avoiding using team-
   specific jargon or making
   assumptions about context.
   
   
   • Remember, it’s possible that
   acronyms may not be well-socialized
   even within a team.
   

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3. Simplify
   Try simplifying technical terms and
   concepts using metaphors or
   analogies where appropriate.
   
   
   • Aim to bring all of your audience
   along even if they aren’t fully familiar
   with the same terms.
   
   
   • Aim to not leave anyone behind
   

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4. Be concise and on point
   • Shorter messages are more likely
   to be absorbed in their entirety.
   
   
   • Avoid discussing caveats and
   edge-case exceptions if they are
   irrelevant to that audience.
   
   
   • Don’t stray from the core point of
   the message.
   

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5. Be concise and on point
   • Mentally check if it's the right
   audience, forum, and time of the
   day before bringing up something
   different.
   
   
   • Avoid filler words: 'basically', 'you
   know', 'like', 'kind of', 'huh', '...and
   stuff', '..and things like that'.
   

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6. Communicating with executives
   …to successfully motivate action,
   understand their process:
   
   
   • Vision: Do teams know where they’re
   going and how to get there?
   
   
   • Alignment: Do I agree with the
   direction? Is it based on data?
   
   
   • Ability: Can they execute? Do they
   see the issues? Is there progress?
   
   
   • Cost + Empowerment: What do
   they need to be successful?
   

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7. Communicating with executives
   Structure your communication
   
   
   • Start with the answer first
   
   
   • Group and summarize your
   supporting arguments
   
   
   • Logically structure your writing
   

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8. Listen
   • Listen attentively! Understand,
   reflect, and then respond to
   what’s being said.
   
   
   • Observe verbal and non-verbal
   messages and signals before
   responding. Listen to what people
   are really saying and adjust your
   tone and response accordingly.
   

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9. Listen
   • Be attentive and open to
   feedback in 1:1 discussions and
   team meetings.
   
   
   • When conversing with senior
   colleagues or stakeholders, hear
   what they are saying, if only to
   confirm that they’ve absorbed
   whatever you shared.
   

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10. Listen
    • When team members share their
    ideas, listen and ask questions to
    encourage them. Replace a straight
    'No' with a 'Yes, but' if possible.
    
    
    • When it comes to written
    communication, reading is equivalent
    to listening. Read very carefully and
    re-read until you've fully grasped
    what was communicated.
    

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11. Be proactive
    • Initiate open communication with your
    team members.
    
    
    • Have regular 1:1s and drop them an
    email or a Slack/Chat message (being
    mindful about disrupting their focus/
    flow).
    
    
    • Promote healthy intra-team
    communication. Create an atmosphere
    of asking and answering questions
    politely.
    

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12. Be proactive
    • Regularly check that your team
    members aren’t blocked on
    delegated tasks and can handle
    them properly.
    
    
    • Reach out only when you're sure
    that your presence won't be a
    distraction.
    
    
    • If your team member has a ‘do-
    not-disturb’ sign, then respect
    that if possible.
    

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13. Be thorough
    • Be diligent and pay attention to the
    little things.
    
    
    • In coaching, mentoring, and
    advocating scenarios, understand
    the needs of your mentees or
    audience, and document those
    needs as action items.
    
    
    • When mentoring, try to understand
    what works for your mentee.
    

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14. Be thorough
    • Ensure everyone you're
    communicating with is on the same
    page.
    
    
    • Don't be in a hurry to leave a
    meeting or end a 1:1 if you feel that
    someone is lagging.
    
    
    • Encourage repetition and question-
    answer sessions to ensure that
    everyone has understood.
    

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15. Document
    • Take notes – just for yourself or for
    others. Notes can help you
    remember tidbits of information
    you wish to convey but may forget.
    
    
    • If your writing aims to help others
    learn, then document as legibly and
    concisely as possible.
    
    
    • Include the date you created the
    document to help future readers
    estimate its relevance.
    

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16. Learn more
    bit.ly/effective-comms-tl
    

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