One of the most exciting product features that we've included in the Rhythm software is the ability to
Team members can brainstorm ideas, share best practices, congratulate each other on victories, and raise topics for later discussions whenever they have the time to do so. This gives you more flexibility and the ability to accelerate decision-making as relevant data and insights from your team become available. Now you have a place to put those great ideas you had in the car on the way home from the meeting or the next morning in the shower! Plus, you have the recorded history of all of the comments on a particular metric, priority, or strategic item all in one place rather than a string of emails, shared documents, or a since-forgotten conversation. This history can help you look for patterns and get better at planning and forecasting in the future.
With such a powerful new tool at your fingertips, there is a temptation to rely heavily on comments, and that's great! However, there are still situations in which synchronous communication (face to face or even on the phone) are preferable and more effective. Dr. Victoria Medvec, professor at the Kellogg School of Management, identified some specific scenarios where synchronous communication is best.
So, get out there and start commenting! You'll get the most out of this exciting new feature if you follow these simple tips to be certain that your message can be effectively received using this exciting new mode of communication.
Editor's Note: This blog was originally published on Aug 6, 2013, and has been updated.