6 Teamwork ‘Cheat Codes’ — Makers
EI hacks to optimise your team experiences on the course based on my experiences as Chief Joy Officer at Makers
At Makers you spend the majority of your time working with other people. Whether it’s working in pairs or in teams, learning how to work effectively in a team is essential for today’s software developer.
However, teamwork can be challenging. Challenges might include ineffective communication, mismatched motivations, personality clashes and the inevitable difference in learning speeds/styles and levels of progress.
These obstacles are as common in the outside world as they are within Makers. What you’ll also notice are these challenges are about people rather than the actual work. Tapping into our emotional intelligence (EI) can help to avoid or overcome these people-related challenges and promote an amazing team experience. Below are some ‘EI hacks’ to help you do just that.
1. Lay a good foundation
- In your planning session, discuss working styles and preferences, ‘need to know’ issues that might affect the team and how you will navigate it all
- Allow each member of the team to say what’s most important to them regarding the project
- Talk about what a ‘dream team’ would look like vs a ‘nightmare team’
- Maintain your awareness of what you learn about each other going forward
2. Set team values
Agree on 3 to 5 values that you resonate with as a team. Keep these values at the forefront as you move forward with the work. Values are useful for resolving conflict, making decisions, aligning the team and fostering a positive team culture.
3. Rotate leadership
Choose a new team lead/scrum master each day or select a cadence that works for your team. This is good for practicing leadership (and following). It helps to balance the variety of personality expressions in the group as some might be more dominant, some more reserved.
Switching up leadership also helps to ramp up awareness of the team structures and members to make necessary improvements.
4. Do daily mood check-ins
Making sure to check in at the start of the day/session can go a long way to promoting team wellbeing and productivity. A bit of appropriate self-disclosure lets the team know where you are and helps them be more in tune with you and your needs while fostering psychological safety in the group.
5. Practice timely feedback
Plan on day one how you’ll keep communication channels open to address things as they arise. Make sure you’re regularly requesting feedback from your teammates and making them feel welcomed to offer it to you.
If someone is behaving in an unhelpful way, don’t keep it in and allow it to fester. Use it as an opportunity to practice good teamwork and open communication. These difficulties are usually great opportunities for growth and stronger rapport with your teammates.
6. Make fun important
Schedule time for fun activities. The activities don’t have to take up a lot of time. Getting away from the work and connecting as people, even for a few minutes, goes a long way. Socialising helps to bond the team which is great for morale and team wellbeing.
Fun can also be woven into the project itself. Choose a team name that uplifts you, create small rituals/symbols e.g. a secret handshake, a mascot, a fun team slogan — it helps to lighten things up which can be quite energising.
What works well for you when it comes to working in teams? Share in the comments below.
