Breaking Down Barriers: How 'My User Manual' Can Strengthen and Align Your Team
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Have you ever experienced communication breakdowns or misunderstandings within your team that hinder productivity and morale? Picture this: a staggering 97% of employees and executives believe lack of alignment within a team impacts the outcome of a task or project. So why do communication breakdowns and misaligned work styles and preferences continue to plague teams and organizational culture? Why not do more to avoid costly mistakes, moving timelines, and straining relationships?
In the ever-changing world of project management, effective communication holds the key to success. Exceptional leaders and dynamic project teams have one thing in common: they dedicate time to align their team norms and establish communication standards and expectations. Using a unique activity like “My User Manual,” teams can find the perfect work style and be considerate of individual preferences early and often.
In as little as 15 minutes, the My User Manual team-building activity can break down these pesky barriers and empower your team to work fluidly like never before. A transformative tool, it can strengthen bonds, align objectives, and unlock your team’s true potential. This fun and engaging activity allows team members to learn about each other's communication styles and preferences, resulting in a happier and more productive team.
This article will explore how this activity works and its benefits for remote and in-person teams. We will also provide tips on how to teach your team about your work preferences, communication and learning styles and present real-life examples of how the 'User Manual' has improved team alignment and leadership.
So let's dive in and discover how this simple yet powerful activity can transform your team's dynamic.
Remaining New Ways of Working
As organizations have adapted to new styles of working, whether it be hybrid teams, fully virtual meetings, or a full return to the office, it's clear that people and the ways they want to work have changed.
My User Manual is a generative activity that prompts participants to answer questions about what they need to be most productive. It allows teams to find creative ways to better communicate with one another and build a foundation for future collaborations. This activity can benefit teams working remotely or have flexible schedules where communicating and connecting in real-time can sometimes be challenging.
The Value of Team Alignment & Effective Communication:
Effective communication and collaboration are crucial in the era of remote work and flexible schedules.
Teams must understand each other's communication styles, preferences, and expectations to work seamlessly and productively.
How My User Manual Helps To Strengthen and Improve Team Dynamics:
My User Manual team-building activity helps team members share information about their communication and preferences to build a stronger foundation for collaboration.
The activity provides a structured and engaging way for team members to communicate clearly and efficiently, regardless of their physical location or work schedule.
A story from ACE
As a Group Account Director at ICF Next, I led a cross-functional agile team that managed a cloud-based communication product.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we quickly transitioned to remote work—a significant change that would prove to be a big challenge for our team.
(picture left Andrew working from home from his impromptu desk)
A few weeks into the “stay at home” order in Toronto, we used a team-building activity called 'My User Manual' to help us navigate the change to remote work. The activity served as a coach and enabled a meaningful discussion that taught us how to communicate what we needed from each other and establish new norms to keep us productive at home. Each team member wrote a personal “user manual” about themselves, noting their strengths, things they sometimes struggle with, what motivates them or serves as a disruption, etc. In about 15 minutes, the team documented a comprehensive list of items to synthesize and discuss. In another 15, we would have a few new things to commit to, experiment with, and try out. Everyone felt energized and prepared to take on these new ways of working with enthusiasm and were grateful for the typical top-down communication style the team was used to in times of other significant organizational changes. It was a welcome change for the mere price of 30 minutes.
The benefits of this activity are manifold.
First, it helps reduce surprises and misunderstandings when working remotely. By sharing your user manual with your teammates, you give them a glimpse into your personality and preferences, which can help them adjust their approach and expectations accordingly.
Second, it creates vulnerability and humility by default. By writing your user manual, you acknowledge that you could be better and have areas of improvement. You also show that you are open to learning from others and value their input and feedback.
Third, it fosters trust and empathy among team members. Reading your teammates’ user manuals lets you know them better as individuals and professionals. You also learn to appreciate their strengths and respect their differences. Spending time reviewing and considering everyone’s input and voice will go a long way and show your dedication to the team’s shared goals and your teammates' success.
Finally, an activity like “My User Manual” improves team alignment and performance. By clearly understanding how each team member works best, you can optimize your workflows and processes to suit their needs and preferences while keeping the project and organization’s objectives at the forefront.
The 'User Manual' team-building activity was a game-changer for my remote team. It built trust and improved communication without wasting working time.
One of the most memorable moments from this activity was learning a team member preferred to connect on the phone in the afternoons. From this insight, I knew it was best to call her (vs. Zoom or email) and spend 30 minutes catching up everywhere. These phone sometimes calls last hours and spark exciting new ideas for our product roadmap and service delivery.
As her manager, this was very useful for me to know because it helped me tailor my communication style to her preference. It also encouraged her to be more transparent and straightforward with me about their needs and struggles with transitioning to remote work.
By sharing her user manual with us remotely, she revealed her work preferences and styles and his personality and values. She showed us who she was and how she wanted to be treated as a teammate.
Teach your team the best way to work with you.
Graphics — Created in Canva by designACE
The My User Manual team-building activity is a fun and creative way to learn about your teammates’ communication styles and preferences. It can help you work better together by reducing surprises and misunderstandings and setting expectations early on. It can also foster trust and empathy among team members.
This activity is especially useful for remote teams or those with flexible schedules, as it helps you establish a framework for effective communication.
Here are the steps for the ‘User Manual’ team-building activity:
Download the template from designACE. The template should include questions about your preferred working hours, ideal environment, communication preferences, learning style, motivations, pet peeves, and anything else you want your teammates to know about you. (Aim to fit everything on one page)
Fill out your user manual independently and be honest about your needs and preferences. You can add colours, memes, and factoids for an added level of creativity.).
Take turns sharing your user manuals in a meeting or online at your next team meeting — Use a video conferencing tool like Zoom or Confluence to share your manual with your team. Be prepared to answer questions they might have about your user manual.
Pay attention to your teammates' user manuals and take note of their personalities and preferences. Try to understand their perspective and respect their differences. Ask them questions if you want to learn more about them or clarify something in their manual.
Update your user manuals as needed. Your user manual is not a static document but a living one that can change over time. Therefore, you can update your user manual as you learn more about yourself and your teammates or if you have any newcomers.
Doing the My User Manual team-building activity can create a more harmonious and productive working environment with your team. You can also build rapport and trust with your teammates, improving your team’s performance and satisfaction.
Using My User Manual to form your in-person, remote, and hybrid team
As team-building activities like the My User Manual become more common in remote or hybrid work environments, it's also essential to consider the best tools and technologies for each team member. This may include communication platforms, project management software, or other tools facilitating collaboration and productivity. By sharing this information in their 'User Manuals,' team members can work together to create a more efficient and practical remote or hybrid team.
Team members can also use the information in their My User Manual to form a more harmonious and productive in-person team environment. By understanding each other's work styles, communication preferences, and priorities, team members can work better together and avoid misunderstandings or conflicts. Clarity is especially important in hybrid teams, where some team members may work in the office, and others work remotely.
In-person teams can also use the My User Manual to adapt to remote work or prepare for potential disruptions to their work environment. A shared understanding of each team member's needs and challenges can help the team quickly pivot to remote work or adjust to new working conditions.
Overall, the My User Manual is a powerful tool for improving team alignment, whether in-person, remote, or hybrid. By sharing their preferences and priorities, team members can collaborate better and create a more productive and harmonious team environment.
Seeing the Results in Leadership and Team Alignment
By empathizing with colleagues' preferences, team members can enhance their communication and build stronger relationships. Team alignment, in turn, leads to better ownership toward common goals. With a shared understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses, leaders can be more intentional in assigning tasks, resulting in increased team productivity. By leveraging each other's strengths, team members can foster a more collaborative work environment. The My User Manual activity positively impacts team alignment, enabling team members to work effectively towards shared objectives and achieve better outcomes.
As team members continue to learn about each other's needs and preferences, leadership and team alignment results become more evident. The My User Manual activity is a tool that can help any team, whether remotely or in-person, break down communication barriers and work more effectively together.
In conclusion
Effective team alignment is crucial for productivity and success, but communication breakdowns can hinder it. The 'My User Manual team-building activity offers a fun and creative way for team members to learn about each other's communication styles and preferences, resulting in a happier and more productive team.
By understanding each other and committing to working together, teams can become more cohesive and successful. So why not try the My User Manual team-building activity with your team and see the positive results for yourself?
Remember, breaking down communication barriers takes effort and commitment, but the payoff is worth it. As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once said, "Love does not consist of gazing at each other but looking outward together in the same direction." Let your team look outward together towards success by improving alignment through the My User Manual team-building activity.
