AN EXERCISE TO CONNECT A REMOTE TEAM

HOW TO WRITE YOUR USER MANUAL

As a remote team, we have limited “face-to-face” interactions. We felt like we needed to devote time to get to know each other better. So we hit pause and each wrote a “User Manual.” This exercise allowed us to be upfront about what it is that makes us successful as a team.

There are various ways you can do this exercise, here's how we did ours. 

Set the stage

This activity is designed for team members to understand how to support each other’s ideal conditions for completing their best work.

Writing prompts

I work best…

Strengths

I get frustrated when…

Annoying things about me…

Communication

Meetings

sharing your user manual

After you take the time to write, share it with your team. You could take 10 minutes of an all team meeting to discuss. Remember, no one should be pressured to share anything they’re not comfortable sharing. This meeting is a safe space and nothing they share will be used against them.