Your most important customer is your own team.
Treat your colleagues as though they know everything you do. Wait for them to ask questions if they have them, and if they do, don’t punish them by reverting to a position of condescension. Don’t be the reason someone dreads coming to work, or the reason someone leaves. — The Pastry Box Project: Jan 16
I’ve always gone in to new jobs with this attitude. We were all hired to do a job. That means we all best out others for the job. We are, to some degree, qualified to hold the position and do the work.
I never talk down to my co-workers. They are my team. We are a team. And I gain nothing by being condescending to them. If someone doesn’t understand something and asks, I’ll happily explain what I mean. I love to share what I’ve learned in the course of my work. It makes the team better when I share my knowledge.
We all have strengths and interests. I have been the Mac Guy. But I need the Excel Guy and the Photoshop Woman to be successful. We all have our strengths. And when our knowledge falls short we use the teams’ knowledge.
Working in a team is like the Borg Collective. Resistance is Futile because between us, we can solve any problem.
It appalls me to see people working in support positions put down their teammates.
You see these people everyday. They know you. They can be your biggest strength or your greatest weakness. It’s your decision. But know you’re throwing away a huge asset if you choose to abandon your team.