Extract common remote and in-person meeting guidelines into a shared …

…section (#672) * Extract common remote and in-person meeting guidelines into a shared section Co-authored-by: Fernando Marques <[email protected]> * Add in-person guidelines regarding physical boundaries and eye contact Co-authored-by: Fernando Marques <[email protected]> Co-authored-by: Fernando Marques <[email protected]>
thoughtbot · Nov 4, 2022 · 60e3e3d · 60e3e3d
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diff --git a/working-together/README.md b/working-together/README.md
@@ -28,19 +28,40 @@ A guide for working well together.
 - Ask for Feedback (What did we do well? What could we have done better? It’ll
   feel weird, do it anyway)
 
-## Remote Meeting Guidelines
+## Meeting guidelines
 
-We've compiled some guidelines from various sources to help people feel included
-and valued during remote meetings that happen over video conferencing software.
+You can [download a double-sided printout] of these guides to display in your meeting rooms.
 
-- **Time zones:** Consider time zones when scheduling meetings - is the meeting
-    time respectful of everyone's work schedule?
-- **Be Courteous:** Be respectful of others on your team.
-  - Mute yourself when not talking to minimize background noise.
-  - Confirm that everyone on your team can hear and understand you clearly.
-  - Consider calling in if you have an unreliable internet connection.
-  - Be understanding of interruptions that may happen with remote work,
-    e.g. children, pets, other people who might be sharing space with your teammate.
+- **Be kind:** Treat each other with respect.
+- **Introduce everyone:** Don't assume everyone has met before. Introductions
+  help break the ice and give an opportunity for voices to be heard.
+- **Pay Attention:** Be present with others during a meeting, but also engage
+  and communicate in the way you feel most comfortable.
+- **Be respectful of others' schedules:** Try to start and end meetings on time.
+- **Step up, step back:** After you speak, let others speak. If you are speaking
+  often, make sure others have had a chance to say something.
+- **Apply the Shine Theory:** Notice if someone is being cut off or ignored.
+  Help shine the light back on that contributor by repeating their idea, giving
+  clear support and credit to its source.
+- **Give credit:** Acknowledge input from others and highlight contributors.
+  Show encouragement and, if you agree with something, call it out. Ensure that
+  even the quiet voices are heard and supported.
+- **Why am I talking?:** Make sure that the thing you're about to say has not
+  already been said. Consider if your voice is dominating the conversation.
+  - Write down all of your ideas before and/or during the meeting. At the end of the meeting,
+  speak on any ideas that have not already been brought up by others.
+  - If you're speaking on something that has been brought up but overlooked, say that you're
+  amplifying an under-represented idea and give the idea's originator credit.
+- **Clarify what you hear:** Use phrases like "What I heard you say was..." or
+  "My feedback for that is..."
+- **Speak as I:** Try to speak from the _I_ perspective. Don't speak for others.
+- **Disagree:** You don't have to agree with everybody, but be aware of how you
+  frame your feedback. Criticize the idea, not the person.
+- **Everyone can participate:** Assuming someone doesn't want to participate can
+  be exclusionary. Give people the opportunity to decline an invitation.
+- **Speak up:** Follow up if team members treat others disrespectfully. If you
+  don't feel comfortable addressing someone directly, speak with your manager or
+  Chief People Officer.
 - **Cultural Diversity:** In a diverse workplace, people will have
   diverse cultures, accents and forms of speech, and this is totally fine.
   Always try to make communication as clear as possible.
@@ -70,75 +91,57 @@ and valued during remote meetings that happen over video conferencing software.
     - Always try to be explicit rather than implicit with regards to expressing emotions or intent,
       especially in text-based communication (where emojis and tone tags can be helpful).
       When others' intent is not explicit, assume positive or neutral intent instead of negative intent.
-- **Video Optional:** Everyone has different privacy needs when it comes to video
-  conferencing.
-  - Don't require participants to turn their camera on.
-  - Encourage the use of virtual backgrounds.
 - **Documentation:** Share what was discussed after the meeting with your team.
-  Documenting meetings is in line with the flexibility of remote work.
+  Documenting meetings is in line with the flexibility of asynchronous work.
   - Record the meeting if possible.
   - If recording isn't possible, have a designated note taker and rotate the position.
 - **Share the Plan:** Let everyone know ahead of time what they can expect. Create a
-  calendar invite with links to the video call, dial-in information and a meeting agenda
-  or note about what the meeting will cover.
+  calendar invite with links to the video call and dial-in information (if applicable)
+  and a meeting agenda or note about what the meeting will cover.
+
+### Remote Meetings
+
+We've compiled some guidelines from various sources to help people feel included
+and valued during remote meetings that happen over video conferencing software.
+
+- **Time zones:** Consider time zones when scheduling meetings - is the meeting
+    time respectful of everyone's work schedule?
+- **Environment differences:** Be mindful of everyone's environments, including your own.
+  - Mute yourself when not talking to minimize background noise.
+  - Confirm that everyone on your team can hear and understand you clearly.
+  - Consider calling in if you have an unreliable internet connection.
+  - Be understanding of interruptions that may happen with remote work,
+    e.g. children, pets, other people who might be sharing space with your teammate.
+- **Video Optional:** Everyone has different privacy needs when it comes to video
+  conferencing.
+  - Don't require participants to turn their camera on.
+  - Encourage the use of virtual backgrounds.
 - **Share the mic:** Make sure everyone who wants to has an opportunity to speak.
   - Be on the lookout for raised hands and folks who unmute their mics, they may
     be trying to speak without interrupting.
   - Use the chat for questions and have someone monitor the chat to make sure
     all questions are addressed.
-  - If you notice someone is being ignored or spoken over, speak up so they have
-  the opportunity to share their thoughts.
   - Be mindful of those dialing in by phone, as they might not have access to certain
   software features (e.g. hand raising).
-- **Why am I talking?:** Make sure that the thing you're about to say has not
-  already been said. Consider if your voice is dominating the conversation.
-  - Write down all of your ideas before and/or during the meeting. At the end of the meeting,
-  speak on any ideas that have not already been brought up by others.
-  - If you're speaking on something that has been brought up but overlooked, say that you're
-  amplifying an under-represented idea and give the idea's originator credit.
 
 Guidelines adapted from [Paradigm](https://www.paradigmiq.com/)'s Remote Inclusion Checklist
 
-## In-Person Meeting Guidelines
+### In-Person Meetings
 
 We've compiled some guidelines from various sources to help people feel included
-and respected during meetings in person. You can [download a double-sided printout] of
-these guides to display in your meeting rooms.
+and respected during meetings in person.
 
-- **Be kind:** Treat each other with respect.
 - **Remote matters:** Listen for and solicit input from members joining in-person
   meetings remotely so their voice is heard.
   - Ensure the space is set up so everyone can see each others' faces.
   - Enunciate and speak loud enough so that members joining remotely can hear you clearly.
   - Consider time zones when scheduling your meeting.
-- **Introduce everyone:** Don't assume everyone has met before. Introductions
-  help break the ice and give an opportunity for voices to be heard.
-- **Pay Attention:** Be present with others during a meeting, but also engage
-  and communicate in the way you feel most comfortable.
-- **Be respectful of others' schedules:** Try to start and end meetings on time.
-- **Step up, step back:** After you speak, let others speak. If you are speaking
-  often, make sure others have had a chance to say something.
-- **Apply the Shine Theory:** Notice if someone is being cut off or ignored.
-  Help shine the light back on that contributor by repeating their idea, giving
-  clear support and credit to its source.
-- **Give credit:** Acknowledge input from others and highlight contributors.
-  Show encouragement and, if you agree with something, call it out. Ensure that
-  even the quiet voices are heard and supported.
-- **Why am I talking?:** Make sure that the thing you're about to say has not
-  already been said. If it has and has been ignored, clarify that you are
-  amplifying an under-recognized idea.
-- **One mic:** Let one person speak at a time, and let them complete their full
+- **One speaker:** Let one person speak at a time, and let them complete their full
   thought before responding. Don't interrupt.
-- **Clarify what you hear:** Use phrases like "What I heard you say was..." or
-  "My feedback for that is..."
-- **Speak as I:** Try to speak from the _I_ perspective. Don't speak for others.
-- **Disagree:** You don't have to agree with everybody, but be aware of how you
-  frame your feedback. Criticize the idea, not the person.
-- **Everyone can participate:** Assuming someone doesn't want to participate can
-  be exclusionary. Give people the opportunity to decline an invitation.
-- **Speak up:** Follow up if team members treat others disrespectfully. If you
-  don't feel comfortable addressing someone directly, speak with your manager or
-  Chief People Officer.
+- **Respect physical boundaries:** Do not make physical contact with someone
+  unless you have their consent.
+- **Eye contact:** Try to be aware of others' comfort level with eye contact;
+  err on the side of less eye contact.
 
 ## Pronoun guidelines