Where’s the Over-Communication Line

By Spicer Matthews
  7/21/2011   Interesting

When working remotely, it’s important to update people. Since you’re not in an office and people cant’ see what you’re doing, you have to let people know that you are in fact, working on the assigned task.

While communication is important, where is the line between communicating what needs to be communicated and over-communicating? And how do you draw that line?

Not Everybody Needs to Know Every Little Thing

When working with a team, you don’t need to update the entire team and every little thing. Before you send an update, think about who is involved and who needs to know. Send it only to those people. If you’re having Task X done on Thursday instead of Wednesday doesn’t affect Bob in anyway shape or form, there’s no reason to email Bob, is there?

working remotely

Send Regular Status Updates-When Needed

Status updates are good thing, until you start to over-do them. When you start on a project, discuss with your client, your boss, or your team how often they would like updates. This sets clear update expectations and helps to prevent over or under updating.

If you didn’t start off setting expectations, and how you’re updating is working, then by all means, keep doing what you’re doing. However, if you find that it’s not working-maybe one of you is constantly trying to get in contact with the other-it might be a good time to establish those parameters now. Better late than never.

Make Use of the Proper Communication Channels

As we mentioned before using the appropriate form of communication is important. If you have a question about a task assigned to you through a project management system, comment directly on the task in the system. Using the proper communication channels ensures that you get a timely response as efficiently as possible.
Know When to Pick Up the Phone

Ever end up in one of those email threads that could have been handeled through a 10 minute phone call,  but instead turned into 30 emails? Recognize when emails are heading that way and pick up the phone, hop on Skype, or send an IM. Sometimes you just need real-time communication.

How do you update without over-updating?