Creating Impactful Teams Through Diversity Using Session 0

Diverse and empowered teams are impactful teams, Natan Žabkar Nordberg emphasized in his talk on creating impactful software teams at QCon London. Drawing from both his professional experience and an unexpected source—Dungeons & Dragons—he introduced the concept of "Session 0" as a powerful tool for building team alignment and effectiveness.

Why Diversity Matters in Software Teams

Diversity, particularly diversity of thinking, context, knowledge, and lived experiences, helps create better, more thoughtful solutions that solve problems more effectively. Diverse teams can predict problems before they arise and find innovative ways to improve solutions.

However, diversity also introduces new challenges. When everyone thinks and talks similarly, miscommunications are rare. But when teams bring different perspectives and communication styles, it becomes surprisingly easy for one person to say something and have the other person hear something completely different.

This diversity increases the chances that our natural ways of working differ, making assumptions and expectations more dangerous as they're more likely to be misaligned. As Žabkar Nordberg noted, "It's important to communicate and understand each other, to clarify expectations, to talk about roles and responsibilities, and to set up a shared understanding of what we are trying to achieve and why."

The Power of Session 0

Žabkar Nordberg borrowed the idea of "Session 0" from Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), a tabletop role-playing game where there's no prescribed goal. In D&D, one player (the Dungeon Master) creates and runs the world while other players take on characters within it. Since players might want different things from the game and joining is a long-term commitment, compatibility and alignment are crucial.

Session 0 happens before the first game session, where the group asks: "What do we want to get out of the rest of the sessions?" This might include questions like:

• Do we care about fighting enemies, or about role-playing political intrigue?
• Are there certain topics, actions, or situations we don't want to have in the world?
• Do we want a serious game or a funny one?
• Do we want to strictly follow the rules, or apply the "rule of cool"?

Applying Session 0 in the Workplace

The concept translates directly to work environments. You can run a Session 0 in a 1:1 setting with direct reports, managers, or peers, or as a group. The question becomes "How do we work together effectively?" or "What do we want to get out of our 1:1s?"

Žabkar Nordberg suggests being prepared with your own answers, as a common response to his questions is "I'm not sure, can you go first?" However, he recommends not turning Session 0 into a lecture about how people can work with you. Instead, use a few examples to get the ball rolling before focusing on the other person.

Real-World Impact of Diversity

Žabkar Nordberg shared a compelling example from a candidate interview washup meeting. Two interviewers found a candidate "refreshingly clear and direct" in their communication, while the other two found the same candidate rude. The interviewers who perceived rudeness were both British, while the others—and the candidate—were from Slavic parts of Europe.

This experience made Žabkar Nordberg reflect: "How many times have I come across as rude without realizing? Were there cases when someone was trying to give me feedback, but because they were so polite, I simply didn't notice it, because I'm used to a more direct conversation? How many little frustrations and miscommunications were building simply because we had a different natural communication style, be it due to personality or due to cultural differences?"

Sample Session 0 Questions

The exact questions will depend on the specific relationship between people. Here are questions that have been used in various Session 0 conversations:

• What is your natural communication style?
• Do you prefer a strictly organized or a more organic approach?
• How do you prefer to be praised—privately or publicly?
• How much support do you want from me, and in what way?
• How can we be on the lookout for opportunities together?

These questions are particularly aimed at conversations between managers and direct reports, but many can be adapted for any team relationship.

Building Better Teams Through Intentional Alignment

While common practices like team startups, regular retrospectives, and non-work conversations are healthy and useful in any team, they become more important in diverse environments. The impact of successfully navigating potential pitfalls is greater when teams bring different perspectives and working styles.

By taking the time to understand each other's natural communication styles, expectations, and working preferences through Session 0, teams can create a foundation for effective collaboration that leverages diversity as a strength rather than allowing it to become a source of friction.

As Žabkar Nordberg concluded, these practices aren't just for diverse teams—they're essential for any team that wants to work together easily, happily, and effectively. The difference is that in more diverse environments, they become not just beneficial but critical to success.