A couple of days back a friend of mine working in the ad industry called me. "Venkat, how do I block facebook chats, gmail chats? Should I block the domains?". Answer is No. If you block Facebook, Gtalk - your team will find workarounds. All it takes is a google search nowadays. It will annoy the team and you will get bracketed with the "manager" managers. So - here are some tips on how to engage your team effectively and reduce the hours spent on SN sites. 1. Daily Stand Ups This is the most simplest and effective tool. It is a core practice in agile projects - however it will work for any project / environment. There are tons of resources on effective standups. I will give a brief primer : Every one stands up - no slouching, no sitting. Keeps everyone alert and they talk less Stand in a circle like rugby teams. Give brief updates on what you did yesterday, what is your plan today, and any impediments in doing your work Any long discussions do it after the standup....
