Teamwork, AI and Guidance
In this newsletter:
Breaking down the ingredients needed for an exceptional team
Some of our favorite AI tools
Best quotes from our CleverTech Coaches this week
We are always looking to add incredible team members here at CleverTech. If you can see yourself thriving in an environment where we prioritize strong teams, high performance and location independence, check out our job listings.
Components of a top performing team
What makes an exceptional team? It can often be the difference between a job you love and look forward to, and one you dread and can’t wait for the day to end.
But what are the actual “ingredients” that make up great teams?
We asked some of our developers what they believe makes the difference and here is what we found:
✅ Proactive Communication
Getting ahead of potential problems by talking about things before they are a major issue. Acknowledging when you are reaching the edges of your bandwidth before burnout. Asking clarifying questions when you aren’t sure what someone means, rather than assuming. Be upfront about things that are not going well. Allowing people to be people means we learn how to navigate messy situations with grace, clarity and compassion.
✅ Being open to receiving help.
It’s no longer a badge of honor to do it all alone. Receiving help not only allows us to be supported, it strengthens relationships. Most of the time, when help is offered it’s a bid for connection, rather than a belief you are incapable.
✅ Celebrate, Acknowledge, Congratulate.
It doesn’t matter how small. Praise immediately encourages us to continue along the path. Reinforce good energy and create more of that. This is foundational to positive leadership, whether you are in charge or not.
✅ Do What You Say
Trust is built on the back of accountability. Showing up, being reliable, following through, owning what is yours to own (which doesn’t mean we can’t ask for help, but we take ownership for knowing what kind of support we need and advocating for it).
✅ High Engagement - Low Ego
When egos are low we can give and receive feedback without feeling attacked. When we are highly engaged, we notice where team members may be needing additional support. This also creates a team that is “leaning in” - rather than waiting around for a task to be assigned, finding tasks you can work on.
Great teams do not just “happen” - they are built intentionally on these pillars. Of course leadership is also crucial (more on that in a later installment), but the charge for us all today: Which one of these components of a healthy team can I improve on THIS week?
Our favorite AI tools
We all know AI is here to stay. The game now is to learn how to use it effectively and let it assist in as many tasks as makes sense.
Here are five ways some of our developers are using AI for greater productivity.
Automate bug detection using AI
Use CoPilot to speed up coding
Ask AI to optimize your software solutions
Use AI to schedule appointments and meetings
Ask AI how it would structure a meeting agenda that needs to address multiple issues
Not sure where to get started? Check out these 10 AI tools:
📍 Magical
📍 Browse AI
📍 Quinvio
📍 Hypotenuse AI
📍 Hints
📍 Publer
📍 Rephrase.ai
📍 Delv AI
📍 Motion AI (acquired by HubSpot)
What are some of your favorite AI tools and how have they been useful to you?
Quotes from the Coaches
Being open to help is basically a superpower!