Working with me

This post is inspired by David Bauer’s. The goal is to provide a “user manual” for myself so that others can get an idea of what I value and how I work.

It appears that David and I are very similar people…

Naturally my ideals will change over time, and I may not always live up to them. I will update this page if I feel it’s important ( assuming I remember! ).

My Premises

Things I believe to be true and are critical if we are going to work well together.

  • I know things you don’t know, you know things I don’t know: We both have different experiences and interests and this is a good thing. I’m going to assume that you know what you’re talking about. Please don’t lie to me, if you don’t know something tell me and I will do the same.
  • I will be honest with you, even if it may upset you: I believe that clear and transparent communication is vital. Please don’t dance around a point if you have something bad to say, just say it, I’m an adult and I can take it. I will always be transparent with you
  • Tell me if you can’t do your job: If it’s my fault then we’ll work out how to fix it. If it’s personal I will try to cover for you. Regardless of the cause we’ll work something out.
  • Think critically: Nothing is sacred, and “Because we’ve always done it this way” is not a work culture.
  • Let’s have fun: Work is not what most of us would call “fun” but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a laugh

What I value

Things I value in a working relationship.

  • Do things: Almost everything is fixable or reversible. Try things out and see what happens instead of overthinking them.
  • Attention to detail: Things don’t get fixed unless you say something, lots of small problems make a big problem. Try and get things right first time, I will get irritated if it’s clear you’re relying on others to find your mistakes.
  • Context awareness: We don’t do things in isolation. It’s too easy do your work with your head in the sand and then cause problems for other people.
  • Ownership: Your actions are your own. People should take credit where it is due, equally they should own their mistakes. I get irritated by people that blame others for their mistakes

Communication

How to communicate with me efficiently and smoothly.

  • Be transparent and straightforward: Like I mentioned before, I’m going to be honest and straight forward with you. Please do the same with me. Don’t give clues or hints to what you’re thinking or feeling, I’ll likely miss them
  • Use the right channel for the right thing: I’m pretty flexible when it comes to communication channels but I still think it’s important to use the right tool for the job. Email is good for async communication and where responses aren’t urgent. Chat / Instant Messages are great when you need instant feedback but let’s call when we need to talk detail.
  • Use meetings sparingly: Don’t invite me to a meeting if I’m not going to contribute. I have better things to do than be room meat, and so do you
  • I love giving input: I really enjoy hashing out ideas with people, but I’ll get frustrated if you’re only asking for input to tick a box or there isn’t time to implement our ideas
  • If you challenge me on a point, I won’t let it go until it’s settled one way or another: This is just how my brain is wired and I can be like a dog with a bone. I have found that this irritates people sometimes so I try to keep it in check. Ultimately, I want us all to be working with accurate information.

Good to know

  • I am an introvert: I can be loud and ( I hope ) funny, but large crowds tire me out. I need time to re-charge after social gatherings and I appreciate time alone in general. That does not mean I don’t enjoy social events, I love them but I can be a little quiet for a day or so afterward
  • I work with headphones on: That doesn’t mean you can’t disturb me if you need me. I’m pretty good at setting my chat status to busy if I want to be left alone, so please check that if you need me. It’s no big deal if you disturb me when I am busy, I’ll find some time to catch up with you

    We’re all a work in progress. I try and live by the above points but sometimes I don’t, sorry about that. I want to know what I can do better and what I’m doing well, you can even tell me what I can do better in this readme.