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Everything Has to be Communicated, Especially Roles

"Are you going to do it, or are you going to make me do it? Can I hand you this work and walk away and when I come back... can it magically be made perfect, just like I expected?"

"I don't want to tell you what to do because I'm afraid it's bossing you around. And I have no idea how to ask nicely if you need help."

"... You expected guidance? Why didn't you tell me? I can't read your mind!"

None of us can. :p I can't believe it when I find myself still dealing with these kinds of communication breakdowns as a professional adult. It's just the same as deciding who is going to vacuum the house, and how often, back when I was living in the dorms freshmen year.

Roles and role relationships need to be set in stone, pre-decided and discussed thoroughly. With visual diagrams on the overall pipeline. Otherwise all of this tug-of-war is just unsustainable. It causes hurt feelings and frustration. Why can't people just tell you what they expect? And can they expect something realistic? What's realistic to me and what's realistic to you are two different things. Communication is key.

Especially in start-ups. Nothing is pre-ordained in small, makeshift companies. So the roles that people take on need to be thoroughly established.

The big danger-- believing that you're right, and you see things in the correct way. What a shocker that people see things differently. :p Of course everyone sees things differently!!! That's why conversation is key.

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