Dawid Bednarski – Page 18

Multitasking for Remote Cross-Functional Teams (Updated for 2024)

By Dawid Bednarski July 15, 2020 22 Min Read

Multitasking for Remote Cross-Functional Teams (Updated for 2024)

Do you think you can juggle multiple tasks and not flop any of them? Well, let’s just say that the myth of multitasking was busted a long time ago. But don’t worry, you can still bet on *remote* cross-functional teams that are up for the task (or two). 🏋️ Regardless if you are a freelancer or work as part of a remote team, some tasks and projects are just too…

How to Write a Memo: Effective Business Communication 101

Collaborative Work

By Dawid Bednarski July 9, 2020 33 Min Read

How to Write a Memo: Effective Business Communication 101

Written communication is going through a renaissance of sorts. With the rise of remote work, the ability to express thoughts in a clear and organized manner is in high demand. But while asynchronous communication these days is mostly about chat, emails and texts, there’s another writing skill you should master — how to write a memo. Memos (memorandums for short) aren’t only a domain of high-profile CEOs. They’re a great,…

Onboarding and Mentoring Remote Employees

Collaborative Work

By Dawid Bednarski June 29, 2020 32 Min Read

Onboarding and Mentoring Remote Employees

Remember the 1992 Glengarry Glen Ross scene where Alec Baldwin’s character schools the sales team on the principles of Always Be Closing (ABC)? That’s some A-level mentoring right there. Wouldn’t it be cool if fully distributed teams could get a *similar* learning experience through remote mentoring sessions? 🤝 What’s Remote Mentoring? 📘 Mentoring: employee training system under which a senior or more experienced individual (the mentor) is assigned to act…

Internet Relay Chat (IRC): How It All Started

Startup History

By Dawid Bednarski June 25, 2020 20 Min Read

Internet Relay Chat (IRC): How It All Started

These days, synchronous (real-time) communication is almost too easy. There are dozens of tools that let teams chat, video conference and get work done. Some, like Taskade, combine all that functionality together, in one unified workspace. But back in the early Internet days, there was only one communication king, and its name was Internet Relay Chat (IRC). 👑 For over 30 years (!), the IRC protocol has enabled millions of…

Diffusing Conflict in Distributed Teams

Collaborative Work

By Dawid Bednarski June 25, 2020 17 Min Read

Diffusing Conflict in Distributed Teams

Team conflicts happen, whether it’s a simple difference of opinion, misalignment, or a squabble over project details, disagreements happen in all types of organizations. But dealing with team conflicts remotely… that’s a whole new type of challenge. 😱 Discord in a remote workplace is tricky to spot, and a heck of a challenge to deescalate, once it goes past a certain point. After all, remote employees (and managers) can’t just…

The Sound of Remote Collaboration: Autonomous Squads

Collaborative Work

By Dawid Bednarski June 12, 2020 36 Min Read

The Sound of Remote Collaboration: Autonomous Squads

The recent Spotify x Joe Rogan deal made one thing clear: Spotify is going for gold of the podcasting industry. While the company’s chain of acquisitions is part of a well-thought-out business model, the Swedish music streaming service didn’t start as the most orderly bunch. Back in 2012, Spotify sported an experimental and highly volatile organizational approach that came to be known as the “Spotify model.” In today’s article, we’re…

The Zettelkasten Method for Distributed Teams

Knowledge Management

By Dawid Bednarski June 12, 2020 33 Min Read

The Zettelkasten Method for Distributed Teams

Have you come here looking for knowledge? 🧠 That’s perfect timing as we’re just about to take a closer look at another interesting system for collecting and organizing information. A brainchild of German sociologist Niklas Luhmann, the Zettelkasten method can make you (and your team) smarter, more productive, and effective at work. While the Zettelkasten was originally created to support Luhmann’s scientific research, we decided to look at it from…

Work From Home: A Pocket-Sized Guide

Collaborative Work

By Dawid Bednarski June 9, 2020 22 Min Read

Work From Home: A Pocket-Sized Guide

As more companies are extending their remote work policies, we thought it might be a good time to revisit the concept of work from home (WFH) and see where it stands today. While the growing popularity of flexible, off-site work arrangements is a positive thing (even if it’s by necessity), the concept of a fully remote workplace is still intimidating to many. If you’re new to remote work or just…

Minimalism in a Digital Remote World

Collaborative Work

By Dawid Bednarski May 25, 2020 24 Min Read

Minimalism in a Digital Remote World

When Thoreau moved into his Walden cabin in 1845, he left most of his possessions behind. Had he lived today, he’d have probably dumped his smartphone and smartwatch too and embraced the way of digital minimalism. What’s digital minimalism? Why is it good for you? Let’s find out! 💡 Defining Digital Minimalism Did you know that the average smartphone user—wink wink—checks their phone 58 times a day? According to RescueTime’s study, the…

Synchronous vs Asynchronous Communication for Collaboration, That Is the Question

Collaborative Work

By Dawid Bednarski May 19, 2020 21 Min Read

Synchronous vs Asynchronous Communication for Collaboration, That Is the Question

What’s the difference between synchronous and asynchronous communication? Which is better for your team? There’s no better time to find answers to these questions than during a global work-from-home (WFH) experiment. In this article, we explore the differences between real-time and async comms. Oh, and while we’re at it, we also settle a debate: Which of the two belongs in the workplace of the future? 🤔 Sync vs. Async: What’s…

Remote Scrum Teams: Agile Across Time Zones

AI Project Management

By Dawid Bednarski May 10, 2020 23 Min Read

Remote Scrum Teams: Agile Across Time Zones

When it comes to project management, there are two questions that continue to occupy the greatest PM minds around: “Is it possible to build a fully remote Scrum team?”, and if so “can it be as effective as its co-located counterparts?” In this article, we attempt to answer these questions and (*spoiler alert*) provide actionable tips that’ll help you and your team rock remote Scrum with class. 🕺 ☝️ A…

How to Foster Remote Workplace Camaraderie

Collaborative Work

By Dawid Bednarski May 4, 2020 24 Min Read

How to Foster Remote Workplace Camaraderie

Workplace camaraderie among distributed teams… An urban legend? A mythical creature? Building a culture of companionship and solidarity is a dream come true for leaders in distributed organizations. In this article, we set out on a quest to answer these questions. You’ll learn how workplace camaraderie can make employees happier, more engaged and satisfied with their work. You’ll also see what happens when companionship wanes or, worse still, never develops. …