3 ways to work effectively with others – Start from understanding

Introduction: Working together is more than just “collaboration”

Khi bạn làm việc cùng ai đó dù là đối tác, đồng nghiệp hay cộng sự điều quan trọng không chỉ nằm ở việc “phối hợp” mà là “hiểu nhau để cùng đạt mục tiêu”.
That’s the foundation of effective collaboration

After more than 10 years of working with different teammates, I’ve realized that high productivity doesn’t come from tools — it comes from clarity and mutual respect in how we work together.

Tôi muốn chia sẻ lại một ví dụ rất gần đây khi tôi bắt đầu làm việc với một người cộng sự mới. Ngay trong buổi đầu tiên, chúng tôi đã dành trọn 1 tiếng chỉ để “hiểu nhau”, chứ không bàn chuyện công việc cụ thể. Và chính 1 tiếng đó đã tạo nền tảng cho mọi thứ sau này.

The first thing I did was ask both of us to write down 5 things we don’t want the other person to do — either during work or when we’re around each other.

It might sound small, but this is actually the key to avoiding conflict and respecting personal boundaries — an essential part of working effectively with others.

Everyone has their own boundaries — some hate being rushed, some dislike late-night messages, others prefer detailed feedback instead of vague comments.

We all have limits — things that annoy us or areas we don’t want others to interfere in. The problem is, most people never say them out loud, either because they don’t want to offend or they assume “the other person will just know.” But silence over time easily creates tension.

Writing these things down helped us understand each other better, making everything feel much more comfortable and professional.
No one had to guess what the other was thinking — and there was no quiet frustration building up during work.

Lesson 2: Align on a shared goal

After understanding each other’s boundaries, I shared my work goals — where my teammate also played an important role.
I didn’t just say, “You’ll help me with this,” but rather, “We’re working together toward this goal.”
My teammate needed to know:

✅ What I’m trying to achieve.
✅ How their role impacts the outcome.
✅ What the final result should look like.

When both of us could see “the bigger picture,” they didn’t just follow instructions — they started contributing ideas and proposing solutions. And the best part? When the goal is shared, our work energy naturally aligns.

Nếu bạn đang tìm kiếm cách làm việc hiệu quả với người khác, hãy bắt đầu từ việc thống nhất mục tiêu vì khi hai người nhìn cùng một hướng, hiệu quả sẽ đến một cách tự nhiên.

Lesson 3: Align on the workflow and progress tracking method

Bước thứ ba cũng là bước quan trọng nhất chính là thiết lập hệ thống làm việc rõ ràng. Đây là phần cốt lõi trong bất kỳ cách làm việc hiệu quả với người khác nào.

We agreed on working hours, discussion times, and a quick weekly check-in.
Where all documents would be stored, how files should be named.
How to report progress, give feedback, and review tasks.

These things might sound “administrative,” but they actually save hours every week, reduce misunderstandings, and keep everything running smoothly.

I’ve always believed that:
“Hệ thống tốt không bó buộc con người nó giải phóng họ để sáng tạo nhiều hơn.”
When everything is clear, we no longer waste time asking, “Where’s the file?” or “I’ve updated it, why don’t you see it?” Instead, we can focus all our energy on creating real value.

Conclusion: Understanding each other – the foundation of sustainable productivity

Those three simple things — clear boundaries, clear goals, and a clear system — helped my teammate and me work extremely effectively, even though we had just started collaborating.

If you’re also looking for a way to work effectively with others, try applying these three steps today:
✅ Spend one hour talking just to understand each other.
✅ Write down personal boundaries.
✅ Align on goals and the working system.

I promise you, that first hour can save you a huge amount of time, money, and energy in the future.
You’ll be surprised by the results.

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