Hi there,

The most disorienting moment in cross-functional work?

Not remembering what happens next.

Remote Octopus recommends outlining What Happens Next at the end of cross-functional syncs in addition to action items.

What Happens Next is a simple list of the key milestones or syncs for the next 1-2 weeks. It is a section added to the bottom of your agenda and/or noted verbally at the end of the call. It anchors the team in how they’re collectively moving forward.

This section is clearly distinct from action items. Action items identify who owns which task by when. In the next newsletter, we’ll dive into action items – where human judgment still matters most.

Extend this What Happens Next practice to cross-functional Slack updates to keep orientation consistent between syncs.

Which syncs this week would benefit from a What Happens Next note at the end?

Keep things moving,

Claire Wescott