(Still in the making)

Inspired by a friend who spent a summer working close with a VC, I decided to create a User Manual for myself. Part of driving / being part of a high-performing team includes regularly self-reflecting and jotting down some of those musings on paper so we know how to best work with each other. More specifically, the intent behind this exercise is for:

• Employees learn more about each other. The original idea of a personal user manual is to help others learn more about you. Great communication starts with understanding your audience. Personal user manuals are basically the audience giving you the roadmap to working with them.
• Employees learn more about themselves. Writing a personal user manual for others implies a tremendous amount of self-awareness. You can’t tell others the best way to work with you…if you haven’t figured it out for yourself. Today’s business world requires employees to self-manage. This activity could be a good first step.

The first set of questions are focused on me:

• What are some honest, unfiltered things about you?

  • My energy typically comes in huge spurts.
  • The more I love and admire the people I work with, the harder I'll work with and for them.
  • I have been known to interrupt and introduce tangential ideas when I lose focus.
  • I badly want to be part of a world-class, enduring organisation.
  • I sometimes come off as brusque or overly direct when I'm trying to get to the point of a discussion. I’m working on this.
  • I love my teammates and genuinely care for their health and happiness (personal and professional).
  • I prioritize the core tech/idea/mission of what I work on way above the frills, and am laser-focused on letting the things I create speak for themselves.
  • I have little difficulty working on both the big picture and the small details when I'm passionate about a project.
  • I have a burning desire to be both great and good.
  • I love guiding people through decision-making processes and thinking together.
  • I believe in the power of people, and in technology as a tool to amplify and distribute that power.

• What drives you nuts?

  • Busywork— being told to doing work without knowing the context in which the work is important, or when I'm not allowed to do the work in a way I think would be much better.
  • Emails/messages that should be meetings.
  • Unwillingness to do some research/thinking on one's own before asking others for help.
  • Lack of empathy— people not being able or willing to step into someone else's shoes, even for the sake of argument.
  • Ending a meeting without defining what's next.
  • Meetings without an owner, clearly defined objectives, and action items.
  • Not summarising the thesis / big idea / highlights / lowlights before diving into the details.
  • Mediocre effort on a project / going through the motions.
  • When people aren’t honest, upfront or open (be real!)
  • Teammates on devices and email during meetings.

• What are your quirks?

  • I'm intensely musical— when working independently (if the space allows!), I hum, whistle, tap, and sing a lot, regardless of whether I have headphones in.
  • I'll ask a lot of questions if you let me!
  • I can interrupt if excited or impatient

• How can people earn an extra gold star with you?

  • Come to me with hard questions about the work you're doing and/or how you feel about it- we'll think through it together.
  • Clear, searchable, written documentation of progress and expectations. (The Stripe API is my dream colleague)
  • Come to meetings prepared and excited.
  • Be vulnerable and real - express your view respectfully even if it's difficult

• What qualities do you particularly value in people who work with you?

  • Strong values
  • Ambition
  • Hustle and grit
  • Learning-centric attitude/growth mindset
  • Willingness to speak up for what they believe in
  • Self-awareness and thoughtfulness

• What are some things that people might misunderstand about you that you should clarify?

  • Oftentimes, I'll present a viewpoint or argument for illustrative or "devil's advocate" purposes, and I do it to clarify and justify my team's decisions, not because I hold opposing perspectives.
  • I might have a resting bitch face especially when I'm very focused on my work, but that doesn't mean I'm angry at you if interrupted to discuss something.
  • I understand I still have a lot to work on and learn about. I'll always be patient with teammates' personal growth, and ask the same of you for me.
  • Just because I meditate daily and try to be mindful doesn't mean I’m perfect. I’m human.

The next set of questions are more focused on how I interact with others:

• How do you coach people to do their best work and develop their talents?
  • Focus on your immediate surroundings to find the best next step towards your North Star. Don't think more than one step ahead.
  • Ask yourself hard questions. Write down the answers.
  • Define success before setting off on a journey of self-improvement, or you'll be chasing it forever.
  • Have fun! 'Growth' is only useful insofar as it helps you get happier and closer to the person you want to be.
• What’s the best way to communicate with you?
  • Text for <1 paragraph comms
  • Email for longer-form updates or asks
  • Notion/Loom/Drive for giving async feedback/updates on documents
  • Zoom/Phone for quick bouncing of ideas or anything that would benefit from back-and-forth (2 minute call once/twice a day can be useful)
  • Zoom/Phone for anything important or urgent (performance, feedback, goal-setting), with documentation/deliverables/todos in Notion
• What’s the best way to convince you to do something?
  • Statement of why I am the right person to do it
  • Show me what the task achieves: what is the impact on people/team?
  • Tell me how you'd prioritize this task versus the other things that I'm working on and why
• How do you like to give feedback?
  • Typically prefer to give written feedback (or will write up notes before live feedback)
  • Will give feedback during a project if I feel the feedback will steer project in the right direction
  • On deliverables- commenting in Notion/Docs
• How do you like to get feedback?
  • Prefer to get feedback live so I can ask follow-up questions as they come to mind
  • I have an innate need to understand the "why" of both positive and negative feedback from first principles and ensuring my perceptions align with reality.
  • Strongly prefer honest, non-sugarcoated feedback. Tell me if I'm not doing well. I don't take much personally.
  • For positive feedback- prefer details on what things went well/where I shone so I can develop superpowers.
  • For deliverables- commenting in Notion/Docs