Mandy Brown: “Are you a writer or a talker? That is, when you need to think about something, do you generally reach for something to write with, or look for someone to talk to?” I am an extreme writer — but I recognize the wisdom in this advice:
Talkers need to recognize that not everyone loves to think out loud, and that giving space for writing is part of what it means to make use of the best brains around you. Writers need to remember that writing isn‘t some perfected ideal of thinking and that making space for the messy, chaotic, and improvisational work of talking things out is often exactly what a team needs to create change. Whichever mode you prefer, it’s not feasible to abstain from the other; doing good, collaborative work requires that you practice both modes.