With all the project management and team communication tools currently available, it can be hard to see where to draw the line. There is no need to overindulge. Many organizations like to think that staying technologically relevant includes making use of every new team management tool on the market. However, have you ever thought about what the impacts might be on team productivity, coherence, and your bottom line?
As someone who has tried all the major products in the “team management” market, including Asana, Trello, Slack, Skype, etc., I can honestly say that one is enough (one project management tool, one communication tool). This is particularly true for those working remotely. Please, whatever you do, don’t spill your company values over the floor in an attempt to seem like the optimal 21st-century machine. The question, however, is which tool is right for your business?
The crux
Separating the project management tools from the communication tools, you will, essentially, need one of each. I won’t go into depth regarding the advantages and disadvantages of these tools, but you can read up on some comparisons here. What might eventually trip up your business is the lack of simplicity; less is more. For instance, stick to Skype as a group communication tool and Asana as a task management tool. What you don’t want to be doing is adding more to this equation.
But, I digress. Most importantly, don’t hammer on these tools as if it’s a school uniform for your employees. In other words, encourage the use of modern communication tools for productive conversations, but avoid being the task management police – I have seen so many companies fail in this regard. The result? An unhealthy work culture, loss of productivity, and unrealistic expectations (a SMART goal killer).
The solution
The solution to the aforementioned “sins” is simple: Lead by example. Start by naturally making use of these communication tools and continue to do so until it’s the new company language. It’s as easy as that. No enforcement is necessary. Nobody is going to speak to you in another language if they understand yours. It starts as a “playground” of sorts and later matures to the point of graduation (where your experts start appearing). Set the tone properly, but do not forget that it takes time for everyone to graduate as experts.
