Leveraging a Manager Weekly Newsletter for Team Communication | SoundCloud Backstage Blog

Articledevelopers.soundcloud.comDecember 12, 2020

AI Summary

Using a weekly newsletter can significantly enhance team communication by summarizing key events, achievements, and areas for improvement. This approach not only keeps the team informed but also boosts morale by recognizing individual contributions. For example, sharing weekly notes helped highlight team members' efforts that may have gone unnoticed, fostering a positive atmosphere. ### Breakdown of Contents: - Daily Journaling Habit: Inspired by Julie Zhuo's book, the author began journaling daily notes about team activities and interactions. - Note Structure: The daily notes are divided into two sections: Happenings (brief descriptions of daily events) and Grateful For (expressions of gratitude). - Weekly Compilation: At the end of each week, the author compiles notes into a succinct update for the team, highlighting strengths and achievements. - Casual Tone: The newsletter maintains a casual tone to encourage open communication and sharing of thoughts. - Team Morale: Sharing achievements in the newsletter has positively impacted team morale, with team members expressing appreciation for recognition. - Regular Reflection: Compiling notes fosters a retrospective view of the week, helping to adjust team direction and keep projects on track.

Why It Matters for Leaders

This article highlights the importance of effective communication in engineering leadership by introducing a weekly newsletter that consolidates team updates and achievements, addressing the challenge of visibility in team efforts. An actionable takeaway for leaders is to adopt a similar journaling practice to enhance recognition and morale within their teams while maintaining a clear overview of progress and areas for improvement.

Category

People Management

Target Audience

Engineering ManagerDirector of Engineering

Tags

CommunicationTeam CultureMotivationWritingEmployee Wellbeing
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