Replace "quick sync" with "async"

The quick sync may help you, but it interrupts your colleague.

Often, when you ask your colleague(s) for a “quick sync”, it’s for what you think of as an immediate need. You and I can agree that in most cases, it’s not urgent. An answer to a set of questions, or the quest for a how to, or to get someone's opinion on a certain idea - there are many such triggers. I empathise with that need. Now spare a thought for the person you interrupted. While you may get what you wanted by pulling them into a “quick sync” and you can just continue with what you were doing, the meeting you created interrupts their flow. Context switching comes at an enormous cost to them. 

Another world is possible. 

• How about you write your questions in a document and ask your colleague(s) to answer those inline, by a certain day or time? 

• How about you record a video of where you’re stuck, and have your colleague(s) comment on it to tell you what you may be doing wrong? 

• What about writing up your idea in reasonable detail and giving your colleagues some time to process it and then give you feedback? 

• Will a sketch bring the conversation alive? 

You won’t get instant gratification, but in most cases, you’ll get thoughtful inputs. Your colleagues will benefit from fewer interruptions and you can perpetuate a virtuous cycle of deep work. The side effect? You also have a referenceable artefact for everyone else on the team. Remember, this advice is not for stuff that’s truly urgent. If you need help to douse a fire, by all means get immediate help!

Slow down. Give your colleagues time for a thoughtful response.