The Secret to Moving Faster as a Product Team

Communicate Your Way to Greater Efficiency

Photo by Bradford Nicolas on Unsplash

One of the biggest wastes of time in any context is looking for things that are lost.

Have you ever lost your keys? How much time have you wasted trying to find them?

First, you look to common surface areas, tables, desks, or maybe on a chair. Then you go into panic mode and search in the strangest places. I’ve looked inside my shoes and under the bananas. I just felt better if I was moving and looking. Surely I just forgot that I put them under the bathroom rug.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Now, say you lose your keys. What’s the first thing you do? You turn to the closest person and you say…

Have you seen my keys?

Now not only are you looking for your keys, but you’ve brought someone else in to look for them too. You are losing valuable time and so is your partner in the detective work.

What does this have to do with communication? Lots.

I keep my keys in the same place no matter what. They are always in a bowl on a bookcase in my office. It’s a habit. But, the amazing thing is…