At bitly, we’ve always stressed a Let’s Talk Whenever policy with everyone. We also have weekly meetings to talk about the past five days, ideas, issues, and anything in between. These one-on-ones are so crucial because everyone can talk freely.

When else do you catch up with colleagues? When you update each other on the progress of a particular project or meeting…or during the hey, good morning exchange that happens when people arrive.  By removing such formality, our weekly sit-downs sometimes become the most engaging, honest, and productive conversations of the week. Our business has grown as much in part to these weekly meetings as well as random coffees, or stairwell conversations as anything else over the past two years.

Transparency: next to trust, people call it the most important item in any relationship, co-working included. At work, its easy to get sucked into a silent vortex comprised of your desk, computer, and headphones. Eight hours later you might not have actually talked to anyone. Even in opening your mouth, if you’re only conversing within a structure of your immediate responsibilities, you can lose opinion and emotion; stepping outside of the pace and expectation of day-to-day can become rare. 

You create transparency through conversation because you know how others feel and everyone knows what’s going on. It's impossible and inappropriate to do all the time as you grow but essential to maintain in any culture you’ve created. 

So let’s talk whenever…but in person…cause talking on the phone sucks and my thumbs are too awkward to text.