Module 2: Communication & Collaboration
Master asynchronous communication and create effective collaboration workflows for distributed teams.
Day 1: Communication Framework Setup
Establish clear communication protocols and channels for different types of team interactions.
Audit current communication patterns
Analyze how your team currently communicates, identify pain points, and document what's working well.
Design communication channel structure
Create a clear hierarchy of communication channels for different purposes (urgent, project-specific, social, etc.).
Define response time expectations
Set clear expectations for response times across different communication channels and urgency levels.
Communication Channel Guidelines
Slack/Team Chat
Quick questions, updates, and informal communication
- • Status updates
- • Quick questions
- • Informal chat
- • Team announcements
- • Complex discussions
- • Urgent issues
- • Sensitive feedback
- • Long-form content
Formal communication and external correspondence
- • External communication
- • Formal requests
- • Documentation
- • Weekly summaries
- • Urgent issues
- • Back-and-forth discussions
- • Team chat
- • Quick questions
Video Calls
Complex discussions, brainstorming, and relationship building
- • Complex problem solving
- • Brainstorming
- • Team building
- • Performance reviews
- • Simple updates
- • Information sharing
- • One-way communication
- • Large group announcements
Async Video
Detailed explanations, demos, and personal updates
- • Explaining complex topics
- • Demos
- • Personal updates
- • Tutorials
- • Urgent communication
- • Two-way discussions
- • Simple questions
- • Formal documentation
Optimized Meeting Framework
Daily Standups
15 minutesShare progress, blockers, and daily priorities
- • What did you complete yesterday?
- • What will you work on today?
- • What blockers do you have?
- • Quick wins and celebrations
- • Keep it short and focused
- • Use async updates when possible
- • Address blockers offline
Weekly Planning
60 minutesPlan upcoming work and align on priorities
- • Review previous week's goals
- • Discuss upcoming priorities
- • Identify dependencies and blockers
- • Set individual and team goals
- • Prepare agenda in advance
- • Share materials beforehand
- • End with clear action items
Monthly Retrospectives
90 minutesReflect on team performance and process improvements
- • What went well?
- • What could be improved?
- • What should we start/stop/continue?
- • Action items for next month
- • Create psychological safety
- • Focus on processes, not people
- • Follow up on action items
Quarterly All-Hands
2 hoursShare company updates and strategic direction
- • Company performance update
- • Strategic priorities review
- • Team accomplishments
- • Q&A session
- • Include interactive elements
- • Record for async viewing
- • Follow up with written summary
Asynchronous Communication Best Practices
Context-Rich Communication
Provide comprehensive context in every message
- ✓ Include relevant background information
- ✓ Link to related documents or discussions
- ✓ Explain the urgency and importance
- ✓ Specify what type of response you need
Structured Writing
Use clear structure and formatting for readability
- ✓ Use headers and bullet points
- ✓ Bold key information
- ✓ Include TL;DR summaries
- ✓ Use threading for related topics
Decision Documentation
Always document decisions and reasoning
- ✓ Record decision rationale
- ✓ Note who was involved
- ✓ Include implementation timeline
- ✓ Share with relevant team members
Proactive Updates
Share progress and status without being asked
- ✓ Weekly progress summaries
- ✓ Blocker notifications
- ✓ Completion confirmations
- ✓ Timeline change alerts