Podcast · ~30 min episode

The Wrong Time for Real Time (REWORK podcast)

37signals · 37signals REWORK Free Beginner

A short listen on why defaulting to real-time communication quietly hurts a team, from the people who run Basecamp remotely. It is a gentle, concrete case for pushing most conversation to async and reserving live time for the rare thing that needs it. Good to play on a commute before you decide what really deserves a call.

  • Real-time by default interrupts more than it helps
  • Reserve live conversation for the few things that need it
  • Async gives everyone time to respond with thought
Open on 37signals.com ↗

The question it answers

  1. How do I keep an offshore or remote dev team accountable across time zones?

Read with it

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  2. The definitive manifesto for building a 'calm company', remote-friendly, sustainable, and free of chronic overwork, from a team... 37signals Book · ~232 pages It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
  3. The essay that explains why one badly-placed meeting can destroy a founder's entire day of building, and what to do about it.... paulgraham.com Article · short Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule Paul Graham
  4. This is the canonical case for running distributed work well, written by the founders of Basecamp who built a remote company... Basecamp Book · About 256 pages Remote: Office Not Required Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
  5. YC is openly skeptical of a remote co-founder (they discount the plan if a linchpin is distant), which makes this the most... Y Combinator Video · 35 min Best Practices for Managing a Remote Team Y Combinator
  6. This is the operating manual behind the answer's core rule: don't run a remote team on vibes. GitLab runs 1,600+ people across... The GitLab Handbook Article · 25 min read Asynchronous communication for remote work GitLab
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