Hi there,
There are a LOT of confusing words and phrases when we collaborate.
Biweekly… Do we mean twice a week? Every two weeks?
End of day… End of the day where?! Which time in which time zone?
But one of the most confusing words in collaboration is… next.
⚡ Supercharge of the Week
Remote Octopus recommends avoiding vague words and phrases such as next while instead providing clear, specific timeframes.
Next can mean different things to different people.
For example, let’s say it’s Monday and our sprint kicks off on Wednesday. If I ask about a ticket for our next sprint, do I mean the sprint starting on Wednesday? Or the one after that? I might mean either!
Sometimes we’re working so quickly that we place our own assumptions of next onto the word itself without pausing for reflection. If I typically use next to mean the sprint that kicks off next, then I might incorrectly interpret my colleague’s request if they were implying about the following sprint.
Even reading that one sentence felt confusing. 😵💫
Improve communication with your colleagues by providing clear, specific timeframes instead.
EXAMPLE IN ACTION
Instead of: Will this ticket be included in the next sprint?
Try: Will this ticket be included in the sprint that kicks off on 5/7?
💡 Leverage curiosity when colleagues use confusing words such as next to describe a deliverable or ask a question. Inquire about the specifics around their request so you increase your understanding of their goals.
EXAMPLE IN ACTION
I heard you say you’d like this ticket included in the next sprint. By next sprint, do you mean the one that starts on Wednesday or the one after that?
See you all next Thursday 5/8!
(See what we did there? 😉)
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