Some teams can't be saved

Off the VPN

Ever feel like you’re the only one actually working? Or that your “team-building” aren’t exactly inspiring team spirit? On this episode of Off the VPN, Allison and Jasmine run through the good, the bad, and ugly of building tech team “synergy”.

From the nightmare of being left on read by your whole team to the perils of “mandatory” trust falls, our hosts spill the tea on what makes ( and breaks) a solid team. Hang out for some laughs, a few rants, and maybe even a little actionable insight into what will help you survive team drama!

Got a question you’d like answered on the show? Drop us a line at jellyfish.co/offthevpn. And don’t worry! We promise to keep it Off the VPN.

Highlights:

• The Mystery of Team Silence: Allison and Jasmine unpack a wild tale of a tech team leaving one unlucky member completely on read.
• Toxic vs. Tight-Knit Teams: From the icy, every-person-for-themselves teams to overzealous bonding teams obsessed with trust falls how do you actually build a better team?
• Surviving Unnecessary Team-Building Exercises: Jasmine’s got some unorthodox ideas on turning team bonding into something less…cringeworthy. How can we set healthy boundaries in the workspace without mandatory team events?

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Today’s topic: team drama and tech tea

(01:15) Left on read by the whole team – what’s the deal?

(05:32) Toxic teams vs trust falls – handling extreme dynamics

(10:44) Boundaries in bonding and the cringe of forced fun

(15:08) Surviving “mandatory” team-building – pro tips from the hosts

(20:25) When management steps in…or doesn’t