Talk/Listen: Working Better Together

D. Keith Robinson

!http://www.slideshare.net/dkeithrobinson/talklisten-awdg-may-2014

Thursday, May 29, 2014

AWDG

!

D. Keith Robinson Principal Product Designer, Salesforce @dkr / dkeithrobinson.com / dangerismyfristname.com

TALKING. LISTENING. THE BEST TOOLS.

“Sometimes the most appropriate technological solution is a person

talking to another person.” - Robert Hoekman Jr

The Tweet from @rhjr: https://twitter.com/rhjr/status/464129645688799233

“Staying on top of the hard skills needed is a necessity in the short term, but one of the best

ways to position yourself for success in the long term is to focus on the soft skills needed no matter

what technology you are working with.” - Sean Blanda

From: http://99u.com/articles/20696/you-dont-need-to-learn-to-code-other-truths-about-the-future-of-careers

“Getting the right people and the right chemistry is more important

than getting the right idea.” - Creativity, Inc.

From Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull (co-founder of Pixar) and Amay Wallace

“Infinite diversity in infinite combinations...symbolizing

the elements that create truth and beauty.”

- Commander Spock

THINGS TO PRACTICE

ASKING QUESTIONS

“Asking questions is at the heart of collaboration, more so than any project management software or process. And if you want to truly collaborate, I’ve found you need to allow yourself to be someone

without the answers.” - Jason Santa Maria

From: https://the-pastry-box-project.net/jason-santa-maria/2014-march-15

BEING PRESENT

ACTIVE LISTENING

“Don't talk a lot if you have high status. People will assume you're competent

and when you talk, they will listen to you.” - Marshall Scott Poole

Related: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304017604579445140870078088

BEING OK WITH NOT KNOWING

“I’ll think about it and get back to you.”

BEING BLUNT(-ish)

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT & BRUTAL HONESTY

Being, explicitly, The Devil’s Advocate.

Related: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304017604579445140870078088

Open Skepticism An idea I got from Carl Sagan.

“It seems to me what is called for is an exquisite balance between two conflicting

needs: the most skeptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are served up to us and at

the same time a great openness to new ideas … If you are only skeptical, then no

new ideas make it through to you … On the other hand, if you are open to the point of

gullibility and have not an ounce of skeptical sense in you, then you cannot

distinguish the useful ideas from the worthless ones.”

Related: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/05/23/carl-sagan-the-burden-of-skepticism/

TEAM BUILDING & RELATIONSHIPS

EXPERIMENTAL ATTITUDE

OFFER TO HELP

PRACTICE SAYING THANK YOU

THE YaYY! METHOD or

Join, Invite & Wander

Related: https://yesand.squarespace.com/blog/2014/3/18/how-to-say-yes

MAKE TIME FOR THE 1-ON-1

THE WALK AND TALK

OFF SITES

PAIRING & SHARING

More: On Pairing

Some things to watch out for…in yourself.

BIKESHEDDING

Parkinson’s Law of Triviality: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_Law_of_Triviality

ASSERTING OPINIONS AS

INARGUABLE FACTS

DISCREDITING CRITICISM

SCOFFIN’

“Picard management tip: Don't scoff at anything. You don't know as much as you think.” !

- @PicardTips

SEAGULL FEEDBACK

“If you’re not in the arena, also getting your ass kicked, I’m not

interested in getting your feedback.” - Brené Brown

From: Brené Brown: Why Your Critics Aren't The Ones Who Count

ONE LAST THOUGHT.

Shoshin (BEGINNER’S MIND)

More: Beginner's Mind

“Asking questions is at the heart of collaboration, more so than any project management software or process. And if you want to truly collaborate, I’ve found you need to allow yourself to be someone

without the answers.” - Jason Santa Maria

From: https://the-pastry-box-project.net/jason-santa-maria/2014-march-15

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s

mind there are few.” - Shunryu Suzuki

From: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

THANK YOU

D. Keith Robinson / @dkr dkeithrobinson.com / dangerismyfirstname.com

!http://www.slideshare.net/dkeithrobinson/talklisten-awdg-may-2014