Want to be a Nice Human Being and be loved by your coworkers? Just follow these 4 easy steps!
Own your notifications
If team members are pinging you somewhere, ensure it doesn’t go to /dev/null. Streamline your notifications from the apps you’re using. I avoid email like the plague, so I tend to integrate almost everything with Slack - like product management and knowledge base tools. I handle GitHub notifications via a Raycast plugin, so those are nicely grouped per PR/issue and quickly available from my toolbar.
Own your calendar
Set busy slots when you’re, well, busy. Subscribe to calendars worth following (e.g., your PagerDuty schedule or your team’s time off). Moreover, integrating those calendars with your system might help you see the bigger picture.
Own scheduled meetings
Are you scheduling a meeting? Assuming it’s not a regular coffee chat, set the agenda up front. Make notes during the meeting and ensure you leave with some action points. If you receive an invite, accept or reject it - don’t leave it hanging forever. And most importantly, try to be on time.
Own your statuses
Going on PTO? Set your Slack status, set your GitHub status (and mark yourself as busy so you won’t be auto-assigned code reviews). If you’re going to be away for a while, set your status. Leaving for a prolonged lunch break? Status. Have a doctor’s appointment - believe it or not - status. Our best collaboration happens because of statuses.
These small steps can make a big difference in how you’re seen and how well your team runs. So give it a try - your coworkers will love you for it!*
*Results not guaranteed, no refunds