An exercise I enjoyed while working in a previous role was developing an operator’s manual for myself. Essentially, it’s a document my colleagues and friends can refer to in order to better learn what my values are, and under what conditions I best work. I’m posting it here in case it helps people better understand who I am.
In your life/work, what do you look like on your best day? (What are the mindsets, attitudes, and behaviors that characterize you when you’re at your best?)
- Focused and not distracted by the stressors of the outside world
- Excited and engaged to support my teams
- Having clarity and alignment on goals (resulting in fewer scavenger hunts and greater confidence in setting a direction)
- Communicative and feeling prepared for approaching challenging conversations in a lighthearted manner
How would you describe your personality or working style?
- I generally prefer to work a ‘normal’ schedule from day to day, 9-5, though don’t mind some work in the evenings if I can plan it into my day
- I try to break up my day with some physical activity such as a run or walk
- On rainy days or times I’m unable to get outside it’s more challenging to stay motivated, and can build internal stress
- I feel less energized and don’t feel I am doing my best work on days that I need to work through lunch or have nonstop calls
- I like to work independently, but also appreciate having regular check-ins with teams and colleagues
- It sometimes seems like I’m disconnected if I am not able to have a conversation with a team lead for multiple days
When things start to feel stressful, I look like this:
- When things are stressful, I’ll often force myself to be over-communicative, bouncing ideas off of people to better come up with a direction
- That may start as me being high-energy (need to figure things out now), transitioning to eventual calmness (ok, here’s what we need to do)
- I don’t like it when I externalize stress to my teams, as I know it can be contagious but I also hate being disingenuous.
When things start to feel stressful, I need this:
- A second opinion when I’m feeling stressed is helpful
- A call on Zoom to vent or commiserate can help keep my calm and find direction
- Taking break or walk works wonders for de-stressing
What can people do to make you feel appreciated and supported in your work?
- Pointing out the positive things that have happened rather than assuming it’s common knowledge that something positive occurred
- Including me in conversations and planning rather than scrambling to shape my work and outcomes to a moving target
What qualities do you particularly value in people who work with you?
- Empathy
- Professionalism
- Sense of humor/fun
- Strong work ethic
How do you like to give feedback?
- I prefer to give feedback in a timely, direct manner
- I want to think through how to articulate feedback rather than coming up with something “off the cuff”
- I don’t want to wait for more than a day to pass to provide feedback
- I strive to use clear examples rather than hearsay
- I prefer to stay as positive as possible
- I want to be as supportive as possible
How do you like to get feedback?
- Similarly to the way I like to give feedback, I appreciate receiving feedback in a timely and direct manner
- I want feedback to include clear examples rather than “I heard this happened”
Outside of work, what is most important to you?
- Balance
- I like to be in the outdoors as much as possible to counterbalance my online time sitting in a chair
- Exploration
- Travel, experiencing and learning new things, meeting new people as possible
- Family
- Feeling like I have a network and am loved/supported as I support others
What is most misunderstood about you, if anything, that you would like to clarify?
- Though I consider myself to be a good communicator, there are times I feel I should to be able to articulate my thoughts on a whim in a verbal manner more effectively.
- Sometimes I need some additional time to think before clearly articulating my thoughts
- I am uncomfortable with and prefer not to make gut reactions to things.
What else should people know about you or how you work?
- I prefer to listen before being vocal or talking during meetings
- I ask a lot of questions before I feel I can make worthwhile contributions
- I want to make sure I’m not making any false assumptions
- I strongly dislike it when leaders jump in and assume their past experiences apply to every other experience