When to Overcommunicate
blog.glowforge.com
When to Overcommunicate
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Re: When to Overcommunicate
#2Anecdotal experience -
I've noticed that shipping late by 2 weeks with advance notice to stakeholders is taken way more positively than shipping late by 1 week but informing people late.
This seems like plain common sense and required courtesy but I've been on the wrong side of this from both approaches enough times from both sides of the table - people somehow have a block in sharing the bad news (also because in unhealthy places the messenger is shot - just makes me realize that I'm in a good place).
(In any case the blog actually talks more of sharing the context you are in and not just about sharing bad news early - sharing context is definitely safer and a better approach)
Re: When to Overcommunicate
#3I personally find overcommunication annoying and don't like to hear constant status updates from people; just handle the work and let me know when it's done unless you have any blockers.
That said, I've received feedback from multiple people that they never know how my work is progressing, are surprised when it's completed, and would like more status updates along the way, so I think it's safe to say that my preferences are an anomaly and you should probably follow the article's advice instead.
Re: When to Overcommunicate
#4Anecdotal experience - I've noticed that shipping late by 2 weeks with advance notice to stakeholders is taken way more positively than shipping late by 1 week but informing people late. This seems like plain common sense and required courtesy but I've been on the wrong side of this from both approaches enough times from both sides of the table - people somehow have a block in sharing the bad news (also because in un…
I don't remember where I heard it but "It is OK to disappoint but not OK to surprise" rings so true. Also, the earlier you know you'll be late the bigger the chance is that additional help can avoid the late delivery.
Re: When to Overcommunicate
#5I personally find overcommunication annoying and don't like to hear constant status updates from people; just handle the work and let me know when it's done unless you have any blockers. That said, I've received feedback from multiple people that they never know how my work is progressing, are surprised when it's completed, and would like more status updates along the way, so I think it's safe to say that my preferen…
Those people you don't want to hear updates from, are they people whose work your work depend on?
I think the article have a good point, but it is also important to only "overcommunicate" to people who depend on you. Otherwise it's just noise.
Re: When to Overcommunicate
#6The article is a fluff and mixes a few concepts. Quality over quantity. Quantity is a bad proxy. Not in any particular order but some things more important than quantity: availability, clarity, accuracy, transparency, traceability. Too many people love to listen to their own voice and opinions a bit too much anyway.
If I had more time I would have written a shorter comment.
Re: When to Overcommunicate
#7We don't need any more arms races, thank you. It doesn't take much to work slightly less hard (or less publically), communicate in a way that's efficient with other people's attention and time, and stop humblebragging on social media about your lifestyle and material goods.
It's not good to wear training wheels all the time. Worrying about the minutia of communication makes you less able to see what is being said, and makes you look for confirmation of your predictions/worries instead.
Re: When to Overcommunicate
#8Anecdotal experience - I've noticed that shipping late by 2 weeks with advance notice to stakeholders is taken way more positively than shipping late by 1 week but informing people late. This seems like plain common sense and required courtesy but I've been on the wrong side of this from both approaches enough times from both sides of the table - people somehow have a block in sharing the bad news (also because in un…
Say you're shipping 3 weeks late, then ship only 2 weeks late. Now you've shipped 1 week early.
Re: When to Overcommunicate
#9Both have advantages, from my experience.
Communicating useful everyday things with coworkers brings in a more friendly atmosphere, which lets people trust you with work.
Going on full communication blackout helps in focusing on actually getting said work done.
Re: When to Overcommunicate
#10Anecdotal experience - I've noticed that shipping late by 2 weeks with advance notice to stakeholders is taken way more positively than shipping late by 1 week but informing people late. This seems like plain common sense and required courtesy but I've been on the wrong side of this from both approaches enough times from both sides of the table - people somehow have a block in sharing the bad news (also because in un…
Say you're shipping 3 weeks late, then ship only 2 weeks late. Now you've shipped 1 week early.
This is solid advice, also because if you think you’ll be 2 weeks late it is likely that you’ll eventually be 3 weeks late anyway. Delays have a habit of piling up.