Why Every Employee Needs a ‘Personal User Manual’
Just before the holidays, Bloomberg’s Matt Boyle spent a fun evening with the workplace research team at Slack at a midtown Manhattan restaurant.
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Slack’s research chief Christina Janzer wanted to discuss an experiment she conducted that encouraged Slack employees to take daily breaks, and measured the impact on their productivity, work-life balance and ability to focus and manage stress. (Spoiler alert: Breaks help, so take them!)
But what caught Boyle’s’s attention was an offhand comment by one of Janzer’s colleagues about putting something in his “personal operating manual.” People have manuals, like cars and televisions? This was news to his Generation X ears.
Inquiring further, he discovered that these manuals — they also go by “personal user manuals,” “manager user guides” or “manuals of me” — are short, simple, shared documents that explain to co-workers how to work with you best.
Think of it as a co-worker cheat sheet, or a teamwork accelerant. Here’s what a glance at a colleague’s user manual will tell you.
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Readers: Do you think “personal user manuals” are a good idea? Tell us by joining the conversation below.
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VIRGINIA Class Product Support Manager/PAPM (PMS450F) at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)
3 个月I respectfully disagree. There are no shortcuts to getting to know your peers, associates, supervisors, subordinates and friends. Genuine communication is the key. Learn who they are, talk about yourself. You will actually gain a true understanding of someone that way and they will learn about you. Both what makes them tick and how they think. This concept is another excuse to actually communicate with each other. It is getting worse and worse in the digital world. I encourage you to embrace building real relationships. Do the work. It feels good and is rewarding! This is from a lifelong introvert who had to push himself (and still does) to communicate with others.
management, marketing, design, finance, IT, administrative
10 个月Etiquette as manual should be as bouquet something to everybody. Manual does need to suit not only to writer also to person who reads it.
Inclusive Business Operations Leader increasing efficiency for social-impact organizations using a people-centric approach. Skilled in Organizational Processes & Efficiency, Systems & Procedures, & Continuous Improvement
10 个月Yes, I think "personal user manuals" are a great idea! I think more workplaces should use them. Since each person is unique, it's not wise to interact with each person the same way and expect the same results. Similar to dating, just because your last date enjoyed a certain restaurant doesn't mean the next date will too. Having a personal user manual lets others know about you and how best to interact with you, specifically. Whenever you join a new organization there's a learning curve. Having a personal user manual can save time by removing some of the guess work and trial and error one typically encounters when learning about a person. To increase the likelihood that these manuals will be read, I think it's important to make them fun and easy to read. Get creative.
Coaching employees and brands to be unstoppable on social media | Employee Advocacy Futurist | Career Coach | Speaker
10 个月Colleague cheat sheets are so valuable. The more we know how to work with one another the more effective we will be. A few immediate benefits I’ve found include: Improved collaboration. Colleagues gain a better understanding of each other's working styles, fostering smoother collaboration and reducing misunderstandings. 2. Efficient communication. Knowing preferred communication channels, response times, and meeting preferences helps make interactions more positive and impactful. 3. Better team dynamics. A personal user manual encourages a supportive team environment by promoting empathy and understanding among team members. And a productivity boost. Clarity on work habits, priorities, and preferences can yield increased productivity as colleagues align their efforts more effectively. What do you think? #career #futureofwork
CEO/Founder at Positively People and CEO/Managing Director at PP Generational Continuity Consultancy, Ltd - Kenya
10 个月There are some excellent digital platforms that make this extremely easy, like Everything DiSC Workplace in the Catalyst platform. With permissions you can learn about others and they can learn about you. Incredible effective!