The Introverted Programmer’s Shameless Rules of Slack
I’m a software engineer, and I need a distraction.
So I’ll dream up a world where the only thing I’m worried about is communication at work — and how I’d lay down some selfish ground rules if I had the power.
Inspired by the first and finest ground rule a.k.a. “no hello,” and without further ado:
1. Mind your text walls
Great article! Unfortunately, the link that just unfurled covers half my screen real estate.
And your 20 questions mixed in with ambiguous bug sightings that just pushed my team’s daily standup thread out of view? Ugh; at least drop them in a thread of your own (or, better yet, well-defined tickets…)
2. Cut the praise
Yes, I know I am a warrior ninja hero rockstar who had a good weekend.
What broke?
3. Actually check their vacation calendar
Most companies have them. Most people have them. Somewhere.
Seriously; it takes like twenty seconds. And this goes for timezones, too. Check before you ping.
4. “This can wait” is a lie.
See item 3. Nobody who says “this can wait” actually means “this can wait.” If they did, they wouldn’t be pinging you right now (or so says my anxiety, which I admit could be half the problem…)
Still, schedule messages.
5. Don’t send technical questions as private messages
If you’re new or nervous, fine.
But technical mentorship via an asynchronous, in-depth analysis, discussion, and/or series of recommendations is work. It might benefit others to see it, too.
