I need to understand the why behind what I'm doing — once the bigger picture clicks, I can usually see how my piece fits, and the work gets a lot better from there. Conversation is how I get there.
I'd rather talk something through than trade documents, and I lean on the people around me to sharpen my thinking out loud.
That said, before I dive into anything big, I need a stretch of quiet to actually focus. I tend to move quickly and adapt as things shift, so structure helps but I don't need much of it.
I'm most in my element when I can both shape the direction and help build it. Lately I'm paying more attention to keeping the people around me in the loop — the FYIs I appreciate from others, I want to be better about sending.