Problem:
You want to bounce ideas off of someone else, but everyone is so busy. Also, some people appear to be slacking in their projects because there’s no real accountability.
Solution:
Work in pairs. Give a project or a pretty meaty task to two people and have them work together to get it done.
They can decide how they split up smaller tasks among themselves, they can bounce ideas and suggestions off of each other, and they can be accountable to one another for getting stuff done.
Two heads are always better than one, so by collectively picking a strategy or tactics to accomplish your task, you’ll usually come up with something better than you would have by yourself.
And when you’re working closely with a peer, there is a certain amount of accountability because you know what each other is supposed to be doing. There’s no slacking off.
Of course, you must avoid the politics and positioning and selfish competitive stuff that happens among coworkers. Both individuals should be given equal credit for the accomplishment of a successful project or task.
Some people or personalities may work better together than others, so be aware of this dynamic and don’t keep people together for extended periods of time, unless they specifically request it. Even then, pairs should be rotated so that everyone has a chance to work with multiple people.
There are probably additional benefits to this tactic. Can you think of any?
