Why Every Leader Should Write a "How to Work With Me" Manual

Do your squad members really cognize really you work? Recently, I created a "Working pinch Our Leaders" assets for Lemonlight squad members that outlines really I for illustration to work, collaborate and lead. Inspired by Claire Hughes Johnson, nan erstwhile COO of Stripe, each personnel of our activity squad now has their ain type of this manual.

As I wrote my floor plan (which you tin spot here!), I realized really overmuch we presume our colleagues understand our moving styles without ever explicitly sharing them. Here's why I judge each leader should create a manual to group nan reside for effective squad collaboration — and what yours should include.

Related: Find Out What Your Business Style Says About How You Work -- And How to Get Out of Your Own Way

Why it matters

Creating a "How to Work With Me" manual is simply a valuable workout for immoderate leader. It provides a clear model for your squad to understand really you activity best, fostering better communication and collaboration. Here are immoderate of nan circumstantial benefits.

Gain clarity connected your ain preferences and tendencies

Writing your manual isn't conscionable a instrumentality for your squad — it's a valuable reflection workout for you arsenic a leader. You mightiness deliberation you cognize precisely really you operate, what drives you and what you expect from others, but until you beryllium down and explicate these thoughts, location whitethorn beryllium things you haven't afloat explored. This process forces you to deliberation critically astir your leadership style, helping you find areas wherever you whitethorn beryllium unclear aliases inconsistent.

For example, you mightiness observe that you for illustration nonstop connection but person ne'er intelligibly explained that to your team, starring to misunderstandings. Or you mightiness recognize that you worth speedy decision-making but haven't been prioritizing that day-to-day. By taking nan clip to constitute down your preferences, you tin group nan shape for amended collaboration and build your self-awareness.

The much you understand your ain tendencies, nan amended you tin negociate your reactions, make informed decisions and create a activity situation that aligns pinch your values.

Set clear expectations for squad collaboration

Next, your squad can't meet your needs if you've ne'er communicated what those needs are. A "How to Work With Me" manual bridges this spread by providing a clear, concise guideline that outlines your expectations, preferences and moving style.

For example, successful my manual, I explicate that if we've discussed thing successful personification and I beryllium you action items, sending maine a follow-up email ensures I don't miss anything. This mightiness look for illustration a mini detail, but without sharing this, squad members mightiness person to conjecture astatine champion practices. These assumptions tin lead to inefficiencies, miscommunications and frustration.

By intelligibly outlining your preferences, you region nan guesswork for your team. They'll cognize precisely really to attack tasks, really to pass pinch you and really to align their activity pinch your expectations. Everyone knows what's expected of them, which reduces nan chances of misunderstandings and makes it easier to get things done.

Plus, mounting clear expectations helps build trust. When your squad knows that you've taken nan clip to pass your needs, they'll consciousness much assured successful their interactions pinch you. This spot is nan instauration of a high-performing squad wherever everyone feels weighted and understood.

Related: The Power of Clear Expectations Between Managers and Employees

Open nan speech for others to share

Finally, arsenic leaders, we group nan reside for really our teams run and really group pass pinch each other. By creating and sharing your "How to Work With Me" manual, you're not conscionable clarifying your ain preferences — you're besides encouraging others to do nan same. This tin lead to a much open, transparent activity situation wherever everyone feels comfortable sharing their ain moving styles.

Imagine if each squad personnel had their ain "ways to activity pinch me" guide. It would normalize discussions astir individual needs, preferences and moving styles, fostering a civilization of communal respect and understanding. When group are unfastened astir really they activity best, teams tin collaborate much efficaciously and thin connected each other's strengths.

For example, immoderate squad members mightiness for illustration elaborate written instructions, while others mightiness for illustration verbal communication. Understanding these preferences tin thief successful assigning tasks, organizing meetings and structuring workflows. Encouraging your squad to create their ain manuals besides promotes self-awareness, requiring them to bespeak connected their ain moving styles and pass them effectively.

What to include

When creating your "How to Work With Me" manual, deliberation astir nan cardinal aspects of your moving style that could effect your team. For example, my floor plan includes applicable specifications for illustration really and erstwhile I respond to emails, a fewer master areas I'm focusing connected improving and moreover my wont of tweaking nan creation of Excel spreadsheets I person (it's me, not you!).

You mightiness see including sections astir your connection style, emblematic activity hours, expectations from nonstop reports, activity style, really you building your day, really you for illustration to tally meetings and thing other that could facilitate smoother collaboration.

Don't beryllium acrophobic to adhd a individual touch, too. My manual includes tidbits astir my hobbies, my canine Oliver, my favourite writer (Augusten Burroughs) and moreover my results from communal characteristic tests. Adding a "human" constituent to your activity tin thief your squad link pinch you connected a much individual level.

If you presume your teammates — and particularly your nonstop reports — already cognize this accusation astir you, I promote you to constitute it out. You mightiness beryllium amazed by what you study astir yourself and really overmuch clarity it brings to your team!

Related: Why Self-Reflection and Self-Awareness Are Vital Skills for Any Entrepreneur