The world is busy. The agency world is even busier. The client services team spends a lot of time communicating goals, constraints, and timelines of projects across departments. We have lots of great tools in place to help manage the workflow: Project websites, Basecamp, Microsoft project, emails to the team and clients, etc. All of these tools can aid in the success of our projects but I want to remind people of the efficiency and impact that a simple conversation can have. Sharing our minds with each other is what will allow us to work tightly together and continue to improve our work.
Of all the tools that we have at our fingertips sometimes a trip across the office is the most powerful. One of the most important things that a Project Manager can have is the relationship that he/she has with their team. Just as an Account Manager needs to have a mutually respected relationship with their clients. Many times we might not want to disturb someone who looks deep in thought in front of their computer, or risk that we might have to explain details to 4 different people on the team… but the risk that information might get lost in a simple email (or even overlooked) is much greater.
I’ve found that by talking with designers, writers, and developers I’ve learned more about their disciplines and what challenges they might be facing. And they also respect the fact that I’m taking the time to learn and understand their perspective. Having an open dialogue about a project allows us to see opportunities and generate ideas that may not have been uncovered in an electronic format or discussion.
Of course I believe that email communications and project sharing applications are still extremely valuable. They simply need to be used in conjunction with the face-to-face communication. Having an electronic place to document conversations, project goals, or next steps is vital to keep projects moving and everyone on the same page. Team members need to have a central place to refer back to and document our progress. We just need to be careful to not rely on that for all of our project needs.
The next time you sit down to write an email that’s more than a few paragraphs long think about walking over or picking up the phone first to explain it. Or, the next time you have a question – go ask! You might just get an immediate answer and learn something new.