Core Values

This is the only “micro-management” that we use. It’s more about the small nuances of collaboration that help us set the right expectations from every team member so that the clients get the best experience as a result of it. 

To put it into different words, core values explain the habits that are required for each team member to adopt if they already don’t have it. If you think you can’t commit to these, please save everyone’s time and don’t apply. 

Here is the short list:

• Be on time
• Take notes
• Maintain Documentation
• Take the lead
• Know your tools
• Hire experts

Be on time

There’s a saying: “If you’re on time, you’re late.” Join all calls 5-10 mins earlier to verify everything is working as it should. 

Respect others’ time and show up earlier 5-10 mins rather than keeping them waiting.

Take notes

Take notes in whatever form you prefer. 

VERY IMPORTANT: after the meetings, those notes have to be written somewhere in the tools that we use. 

• If it’s task related, write it down in Asana. This helps everyone understand the certain task when following its progress and this helps reviewers understand the scope of it.
• If it’s about content, legal or some other business process, write it down in an existing (or create new) document in Google Drive.

In rare cases, like notes for sales calls that didn’t end in a sale, you don’t have to write it down as it would take too much time. But, the ones that didn’t end in a sale but you learned valuable insights, write those insights down. This will help you remember to bring it up one the next discussion. 

Think about your work as if you are leading a team of people who have to do the same work that you do – proper documentation helps everyone act as one.

There is a phrase in Croatian: “Pametan piše, glup pamti”, which directly translates to “Smart person writes, stupid one remembers.”

Maintain Documentation

Update, update, update. As you work on repeatable processes, update documentation. Updating documentation is to be done in parallel with your work. 

Document all your work processes to ensure consistency, transparency, and ease of knowledge transfer within the team. If you do more than one thing, create separate documents for each one.

You are free to structure the documentation in any way that makes sense. However, keep the following points in mind: 

• Outline of each step of the work process, including any tools, software, and resources you use
• It’s best to update documentation whenever something changes
• Note, you can create subtasks, or checklist items to remind yourself to maintain documentation
• Store the documentation in Google Drive’s team folder and organize it depending on context. 
• For development you are in charge of maintaining GitHub wiki pages

Checklists and Templates

Think of checklists the same as take-off checklists that pilots have to go through every time before flying an airplane.

Regularly update checklists and add Asana templates to have easier time when needed next time. This is especially true for things like hiring steps, blog writing and other similar tasks.

Take the lead

Suggest more than you ask.

Take ownership of your work, lead with your expertise and before switching responsibility to others ask yourself these questions:

• Can I do it?
• Can someone in our team do it?
• What could be possible solutions to the challenge at hand?
• If the reviewer is necessary for this task, i.e. they are the only ones with the knowledge or access that you need, then ask the reviewer to work with them on a call. E.g. writing down their experience, tailoring cover letters, giving access to their accounts…
• Act as you are leading a team of people even if all work will be done by you

Lead by example – this is more about showing the habits to the new team members for them to have an easier time understanding and adopting the core values.

SPS formula

Here is a LinkedIn post that describes an SPS (Situation -> Problem -> Solution) formula nicely:

I read over 20,000 emails in the last 6 months and answered over 7,500.

The worst emails I got were long chunks of text that feel like someone wrote them on purpose to piss me off.

Here’s a simple “SPS” formula anyone can follow to write better emails.

🧵👇

Step #1 – Describe the situation to give more context to your email.

S = Situation (SPS)

The reader now understands the situation.

Now describe the problem.

P = Problem (SPS)

The reader now understands both the Situation and the Problem.

But without the proposed Solution, you are just another robot that cannot think for themselves and is asking for someone else’s time instead of proposing a valuable solution.

That is why the last step is Solution.

S = Solution (SPS)

Situation –> Problem –> Solution

Use this for your emails, meetings, conversations, or in any decision-making situation.

If you want to level up even further, propose 3 Solutions, and suggest 1 that you like just to show that you took time to find the best Solution already.

Know your tools

If you don’t know, learn. Master the tools that we use. If you need help, ask.

Respond to calendar meetings (Yes/No/Maybe)

Stable landscape video on calls, well lit and stable internet connection.

If you are a developer, don’t think your IDE is your only tool – all tools that you are using in connection with the team are your tools. Master them.

Don’t rush

We prefer doing our work correctly instead of rushing. Even when there are urgent matters, it’s more important to do the task properly. 

For Software Developers

No rushing, means no cutting corners. Utilize industry best practices and make a priority to leave a clean environment/code behind you. We don’t value speed as much as we value solid foundations.

If there is an urgent bug to fix in production, you can cut corners only temporarily to actually make it work. When that fix is live, immediately after, clean after yourself.

Hire experts

We look for experts who are not only highly skilled but also proactive and responsible in their work. We value people who take initiative, solve problems on their own, and always look for ways to improve.

We want team members who take full ownership of their work, making sure tasks are done well and aligned with our goals.

We value natural cultural fits over trying to fit someone into it.