Welcome to N3TWORKED!
This is a quick guide to best practices in our fully distributed company. Some of what we’ll share you may already be practicing (in which case, awesome), some will be common sense.
Please give it a full read, and you’ll likely pick up a few tips and tricks that will help you, and by result, everyone else at N3TWORK, too.
Our Values
N3TWORK’s values inform and permeate this guide.
Consider it a companion to our Culture Book.
GREATNESS, DELIGHT, OWNERSHIP, DIALOGUE, ACTION
These values, along with our people and practices, define our culture. If we get the culture right, all the other stuff follows – delighted employees and customers, great products and business.
Go check out the N3TWORK CULTURE BOOK for more insights.
Time
Let’s use our most precious resource purposefully.
CALENDAR
- Dedicate certain time blocks for certain types of work modes.
- Actively manage your calendar so you leave time to produce and think.
- Use the Daily :30 minute Planning “Hold” to manage and plan asynchronous commitments.
ASYNCHRONICITY
- Use asynchronous collaboration tools like Notion and Google Docs.
- Post asynchronous EOD updates to provide context.
- Be selective about which meetings you attend.
Respect your teammates’ time and your own.
- Post your normal working hours.
- Be mindful of interrupting others’ flow and concentration.
- Do not schedule meetings outside someone else’s normal working hours.
- Be flexible about availability for key meetings.
COMMUNICATION
Let’s have clear rules of engagement.
ASSUME POSITIVE INTENT (API)
- Since 90% of communication is non-verbal, tone and nuance can be misinterpreted.
- Assume the communicator operates with positive intent – whether in writing, in video, or phone. We’re on the same team.
USE ENGLISH, PLEASE
- As we become more distributed – hiring diverse talent from different locations who speak other languages – we will still use English as our single language for communication.
WRITE CLEARLY
- We’ll all be writing a lot more than we have, so try to be as specific as possible regarding your requests and answers.
- Default to the written word (over meetings) to share context, where everyone can process the information asynchronously.
COMMUNICATION
Let’s have clear rules of engagement.
SET EXPECTATIONS
If you’re the writer, be crystal clear and explicit about why, what, when, and how.
If you’re the receiver, acknowledge receipt of said request and respond with a timeline.
BE PRESENT
Always have your video on during a videoconference (see API above).
Show you’re paying attention: actively listen and feed back what you’re hearing. Focus on the person on the screen. Single task.
BE TRANSPARENT AND RESPECTFUL
Speak up: communicate honestly and intentionally.
Admit mistakes: do not judge others mistakes – only learn from them.
Workspace
Dedicate a space in your home for work and equip it properly.
Wellness
Daily rituals ensure you’re taking care of yourself.
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EMBRACE THE CALM
Join a N3TWORK meditation session or use your dedicated stipend for a wellness app.
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TAKE A MOMENT
Use N3TWORK’s 30 min Personal Break to refresh and clear your mind.
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PLAN FOR SCREEN BREAKS
Stretch, eat, whatever.
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GET PHYSICAL
Walk, bike, even do a N3TWORK Yoga session.
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SET YOUR WORK HOURS
Define a start and end time to your work day – and stick to it.
Tools
Always use the right medium for each communication.
Tools
Always use the right medium for each communication.
Meetings
Here are our two meeting modes:
ASYNCHRONOUS
Collaboration & Communication that happens over time and through a digital artifact. (eg. Google Doc, Notion, email thread)
SYNCHRONOUS
Real-time/Live N:N meetings that happen over video conference, or over the telephone.
Meetings
Here are our meeting types:
ASYNCHRONOUS
SHARING
Meant to bring team members up to speed with progress updates, or request feedback. (eg. Status, Alignment, Feedback)
EITHER
SOLVING
Specific to an initiative or project and focused on solving for challenges or opportunities. (eg. Live Ops, Bug-fixes, Coaching)
SYNCHRONOUS
STEERING
Helps maintain the operational and directional heartbeat of the company. (eg. All Hands, Active Standups)
SPONTANEOUS
2-3 people jamming on ideas, 1:1 virtual coffee (eg. Brainstorming)
Meetings
Synchronous meetings require preparation to maximize success.
APPOINT AN OWNER
One person should be responsible for meeting quality and outcomes.
25 + 50 MINUTE MEETINGS
Don’t schedule full or half-hour meetings – allow for time to mentally reset.
PREPARE IN ADVANCE
If you are the meeting owner, please send the following at least 24-48 hours in advance:
- Calendar Invite
- Agenda and Topics
- Presentation Materials
If you are a participant, please thoroughly review all Presentation Materials ahead of time.
BE PUNCTUAL
Begin and end on time – try to finish early.
TAKE NOTES
During your meeting, open an active Google Doc or Notion page to take notes and memorialize the source of truth.
LIMIT PRESENTATIONS
Only used in STEERING meetings.
RECORD (OPTIONAL)
For people who couldn’t attend.
RECAP
Owner closes with a recap, next steps, and actions items.
Knowledge
Capture and share knowledge to accelerate learning and inflect quality of execution.
MEMORIALIZE
- Write up your learning – make it as clear and actionable as possible.
- Post all your learnings in the N3TWORK Knowledge Container.
SHARE
- Use an All Hands spotlight to shine a light on a new or improved tool, process or technology.
- Host a Lunch & Learn to deep dive into more complex questions.
- Set up time with the peer group you believe would most benefit from the knowledge.
- Ensure it’s on your lead’s radar for maximum visibility.
Bond
Make time to socialize with your colleagues.
GET LOCAL
Meet up with fellow N3TWORKers in your area.
REACH OUT
Find colleagues with common interests or have virtual coffee with someone you’ve never met.
SHARE SNIPPETS OF YOUR LIFE
Hobbies, pets, shower thoughts.
GET A LITTLE HAPPY (HOUR)
Set up a themed happy hour for you and your buddies.
Freedom
Embrace the benefits of a distributed work company.
YOUR OFFICE RULES
Crank the tunes. Turn up the heat. Whatever works to make yourself comfortable and ready to get after it.
WORK FROM (NEARLY) ANYWHERE*
Sick of the city? Head to the country! As the long as the WiFi is good and the timezones work for other team members, you can live there.
MORE FAMILY/FRIEND TIME
Enjoy being home on time for dinner or a sunset hike with friends.
MORE “YOU” TIME
Bike at lunch. Pick up the guitar. Use the extra time and flexibility to do something good for yourself.
*Contact Biz Ops to figure out what’s possible for you.