Rachel Gertz // August 9, 2011

Keeping The Stars Aligned

Something hilarious happened the other day. We started writing down and recognizing each other’s accomplishments. Okay, that isn’t the hilarious part, but what happened as a result of paying attention to the team’s hard work is pretty funny.

The Need for Props
About two weeks ago, nGen created something called The Props Report. It was meant to give props to all the hard work the team had been putting in throughout the week and to give momentum to the projects each of us were tackling to prevent us from flailing in a spacial vacuum. I have to admit, at first I thought it was a little silly; don’t tell Carl. Like stickers for hard work? Please [I totally love stickers—especially grape scratch n’ sniffs].

But after I saw my name attached to a ‘things I did’ list, I straightened up in my chair. The list (made by our very own silver-tongued nGeneer, Mary) made me stop and take stock of the progress I had made that week. I slew tasks like dragons! After I popped my own overinflated brain, I began to realize just how much everyone else on the team had accomplished as well. And they work hard, dammit.

Drifting Satellites
See, the thing is, as a functional satellite team (eight nGeneers up and down the west coast, seven up and down the east, and one in the middle) it’s common to feel like you’re tackling projects as an individual unit instead of a team.

You think, “I’ll just log my hours on these two or three projects, have a beer and this assortment of crisps, and call it a day.” You chat with teammates when you have a few questions about information architecture. You email them when you have to follow-up on design feedback. The issue is, when you only talk with each other about projects, communication can easily become utilitarian. Small talk you would have made cubicle-to-cubicle soon gives way to short affirmative and deliverable statements on instant messaging, until you realize you’ve interacted with four teammates today and you had no idea that one’s got a black eye from baseball and the other’s won an award for Paula Abdul impersonations. PS-that never happened.

So how do you maintain team solidarity? How do you ensure your energy doesn’t slump midway through that endless project? Well, a Props Report helps, and so does rewetting the glue that holds us all together.

The Funny Part
This is the funny part, I swear.

You wanna build a stronger, closer team? Banter. Make wisecracks about each other. Post embarrassing (but not mean-spirited) photos, tell bad jokes, make ridiculous innuendoes. Oh, but watch those innuendoes. They can get you in hot water. Like that time I… oh, never mind.

As the sneaky fly on the wall for the last four months, I’ve seen IM chats and Basecamp threads so ridiculously goofy, I’ve almost peed my pants. And it’s a good thing I didn’t; nobody likes a little squirt. I’d venture to say there’s a direct correlation between team banter, team connectedness, and team contentment.

Prime example:
After last week’s Props Report, the nGeneers got a little rowdy. It might not be a complete coincidence that nGen Fridays coincide with Props Reports, which adds a whole other dimension to the chaos.

• We start joking about buttered corn.

• Fred posts a Big Lebowski video clip.

• Travis photoshops Fred’s head onto the Dude’s body.

• Fred posts a wolf whistle video clip.

• I post a genuine photo of Travis in a speedo.

• Travis makes fun of me for my crappy photoshop skills; whatever. They’re awesome.

• Jeff wishes for a Like button on Basecamp. Obviously it’s for my wicked Photoshoppin’.

• Mary makes fun of Travis showing his package.

• I suggest gold embossed nGeneer speedos.

• Dan says he’d wear one (not that we’re surprised).

• And Carl falls in love with all of us all over again. Especially Travis’s package.

Anyway, the point of the whole thing is yeah, sometimes it’s tough to stay connected as a team when you’re a million miles away. The same goes for lovers, friends, and distant cousins to boot. Interestingly enough, when staying connected, the same rules apply. Give each other credit where credit is due, be playful; then go wreak havoc in Sin City.

Just leave the speedo at home, please.