Estimated reading time: ~15 minutes.
This document guides how we communicate asynchronously at Oyster.
<aside> ❓ What is asynchronous communication? It's a way of sharing information where everyone doesn't need to be present at the same time.
This method is very important for distributed companies like Oyster, where we are spread out in different places and time zones.
It allows people to work together without everyone needing to be online at the same time.
</aside>
At Oyster, we don’t expect everyone to be an expert at asynchronous communication straight away. Building the skills and knowledge needed to communicate effectively takes time and support.
Our async performance levels guide each person (and team’s journey) from beginner to expert. Read on to understand your own level and explore what you can do next to level up your async communication.
| Level | Behaviours |
|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | We assume good intent. |
| 1️⃣ | We self-serve problems before reaching out to others. |
| 1️⃣ | We use Slack for general internal communication. Emails are for external communication. |
| 1️⃣ | We communicate in public channels by default to promote transparency and avoid siloing information. |
| 1️⃣ | We communicate time in UTC, format dates as Month DD, YYYY, and use US spellings. |
| 1️⃣ | We’re not expected to respond outside our work hours, and we don't expect others to respond outside of their work hours either. |
| 1️⃣ | We don’t write out URLs, hyperlinks should be in-text (with an explanation, if necessary) |
| 1️⃣ | We use functional emojis to respond to requests and updates. |
| 1️⃣ | We acknowledge messages we receive and prioritize follow-up in a timely manner. |
| 2️⃣ | We keep conversations in one place, closest to the work. |
| 2️⃣ | We communicate for our intended audience, using terminology and concepts that they will understand. |
| 2️⃣ | We use short sentences, punctuation, and avoid jargon or acronyms. |
| 2️⃣ | We format our writing so it’s easy to read. |
| 2️⃣ | We use @mentions thoughtfully and avoid creating unnecessary noise. |
| 3️⃣ | We create inclusive communication for our global audience. |
| 3️⃣ | We start with what’s important, provide context and give further detail afterwards. |
| 3️⃣ | We speed up discussions and decisions by over-communicating and addressing questions before they are asked. |
| 4️⃣ | We create videos that are concise and to the point. |
| 4️⃣ | We store important communications in the right place, making them easy to find them later. |
Assuming good intent means believing that colleagues are not trying to harm or upset you with their communication.
Instead of immediately thinking the worst about someone's message, choose to believe that they have positive or neutral intentions.
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<aside> 🎓 Let's see this in practice:
You send a detailed message to a colleague, and they reply with a 👍.
❌ Assume bad intent:
You might interpret this as dismissive, thinking that they haven't spent time on your message.
✅ Assume good intent:
They are using functional emojis to respond quickly while being busy but still want to provide a timely response.
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<aside> 🤔 Why should we always try to assume good intent?
It helps promote positive and constructive communication, reducing misunderstandings and conflicts.
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“Self-serving problems” refers to the act of taking the initiative to try and solve or address issues on your own before seeking help or assistance from colleagues. This approach may involve reading documentation, watching a video tutorial, or searching through communication channels like Slack for a possible solution before reaching out for help.
Before initiating any communication, we make sure to: