Hi there,

Everyone has preferences at work.

Our preferences often help us build habits and work faster.

But sometimes… we let our own preferences get in the way. We assume our colleagues have the exact same preferences as us.

And, well, you know what they say about what happens when you assume.

Remote Octopus recommends checking in with cross-functional colleagues to confirm alignment on their format preference for requested feedback on project deliverables.

For example, someone in marketing asks for feedback on a Google Doc. Should you drop in comments? Or use the Suggesting feature? Or drop notes into a Slack message? 

🌀 So many choices. And when a cross-functional colleague requests feedback, they rarely specify how they’d like it – but there’s often their preferred way. And! There’s often your preferred way. They might prefer and assume feedback will be through comments. You might prefer and assume that they’d like feedback in a Slack message. 

A short alignment message can ensure you’re both on the same page – and it’s a quick win to build trust with your cross-functional colleagues. 

Gaining alignment often speeds up cross-functional deliverables too. If a colleague works faster by synthesizing feedback with the Suggesting feature, then receiving feedback as comments can slow down their deliverable. 

🚀 Ready to level up? Include specificity on your own preferences when asking for feedback from a cross-functional colleague. 

Ready to level up operational excellence for your team? Check out our resources: