Creating Your Unique Personal Operating Manual with Mike Michalowicz's "All In"

Ready to revolutionize your approach to working with your team? (Yes I know the term ‘revolutionize’ is overused but in this case, it’s really true.)

Mike Michalowicz’s "All In - How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams" presents a game-changing concept: the Personal Operating Manual (P.O.M.).?

His book is chockablock full of great insights to working in teams, his P.O.M is just one of many.

The idea is all about defining and refining your unique system for how you work best and then being able to share it with your team.?

It’s a personalized guide to navigating the complexities of your work life.

Pro tip: you may also want to consider creating one for your family.

The Personal Operating Manual: What Is It?

A Personal Operating Manual is your customized blueprint for success. It’s a strategic plan that outlines how you operate best—your strengths, preferences, routines, and values.?

Michalowicz emphasizes that understanding and optimizing these elements can significantly enhance your productivity and effectiveness.

This manual isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution; it’s the opposite.? It’s tailored to your individual needs and goals.?

By creating and sharing your Personal Operating Manual, you can work better together.

When an entire team has a P.O.M. and shares them, magic happens.

While I’m not entirely sold on the name (it sounds quite mechanistic) the idea is fabulous.? As he says “When you buy a new computer or phone or pretty much anything, it comes with an instruction manual that gives you an overview of how to use the product.”

So why not a manual for how to operate in and on a team?

The Benefits of a Personal Operating Manual

1. It demonstrates a strategic focus on learning.?

• “ The 2022 Workplace Learning Report study from LinkedIn reports that 94% of employees said they would stay at a company longer if the company simply invested in helping them learn.”?

2. A P.O.M. is good for the individual staff person

• ?It’s a great exercise to increase self-awareness and understand what makes you tick (and what gets your knickers in a knot).

3. A P.O.M. is good for the team?

• When all team members have one and make them accessible to others, it’s like a cheat sheet Michalowicz says.? Instant insight, easy, peasy.

4. The organization benefits from P.O.M.s

• When teams are working better together, everyone wins, including the organization.? It can lead to more employee retention, more focus, less conflict, etc.

Have I sold you on POMs?? Great. Let’s continue.?

What should be included in a Personal Operating Manual

Michalowicz recommends including the following on your one-page cheat sheet (that’s his POM above; the link to it is below):

• Style: a quick summary of who you are, what makes you tick
• Ability: include your innate abilities, potential, and experiential skills?
• Fragility; your gaps
• Appreciation: from the Love Languages, how you like to be appreciated (see my link below for more information on this.? I have a survey you can take to discover yours.)
• Improvement: what are you working on, want to get better at
• Communication: the suggested do’s and don’ts of communicating with you
• Personal/professional intentions: your dreams, goals, vision
• Summary: a quick summary of who you are.

Remember it’s a one-pager. No PhD theses.? Short and snappy. Easy and quick to digest.

Pro-tip: take the concept and run with it.? I’m going to be using this in my future team-building work.? I’m working on a P.O.M. that includes things like each team member’s:

• Change personality
• Motivation style etc.

Imagine if you had information at your fingertips on how to motivate each of your team members!?? Now that’s valuable.

Your Personal Operating Manual isn’t static. Michalowicz advises reviewing and adjusting it regularly to ensure it remains relevant and effective.?

Your manual should evolve to support your ongoing growth.

Mike Michalowicz’s "All In" is a transformative guide that introduces the powerful concept of a Personal Operating Manual.?

This personalized blueprint helps you navigate your work-life journey with precision and purpose.?

So, are you ready to create your Personal Operating Manual? Grab a copy of "All In" by Mike Michalowicz and start crafting your own P.O.M.

Now go on and learn, laugh, and lead

Learn

• See Mike’s P.O.M. here

Laugh

• Another take on the importance of operating manuals (be sure to turn on closed captioning).

Lead

• Get started with your Personal Operating Manual by discovering your Love Language when it comes to receiving feedback.