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I launched ManagerReadme because I believe that sharing your "User Manual" as a manager can reduce a lot of the stress in figuring out how to work with you. Lea

I launched ManagerReadme because I believe that sharing your "User Manual" as a manager can reduce a lot of the stress in figuring out how to work with you. Leah Fessler suggests that you'll spend time with your team and let everyone take 30 minutes to answer a few key questions to reduce "guess time" and increase the depth of your conversations.

luckylion 6y ago
Is there a lot of variety in the manuals? I assume that everyone writes something like what's mentioned in the article “I appreciate straight, direct communication. Say what you are thinking, and say it without wrapping your message” because the opposite would sound unprofessional.
- redis_mlc 6y ago
  That wouldn't work in SF. At all.
  - samvher 6y ago
    Why do you say so? Is the default different?
    - rendall 6y ago
      SFans and urban west coast in general are known for a very friendly style of communication, even when the communication is negative. The rule of thumb is to say something positive, then say your negative thing, then say something positive again. People who are not used to that style find it confusing, and will often miss the fact that they have been dinged. Saying something negative directly without varnishing is considered outrageously gauche.
      - pmiller2 6y ago
        I've worked in SF for a few years and not really experienced the "shit sandwich" style of criticism, as I've grown to call it.
        redis_mlc 6y ago
        SF HR departments are actually training staff to talk that way. Of course, they call it "compliment sandwich" instead. The really soft shit sandwich is when somebody opens with superfluously thanking you for attending a scheduled meeting, then attempts to attack you. They think they have to thank you as the first layer of their shit sandwich, before the garbage layer. Of course, it sounds ridiculous to hear somebody thank you for doing nothing except showing up. The reason for such "training" is that there is an epidemic of staff complaints against each other. It does keep HR staff busy (fullly-employed), but it also causes attrition.
- im3w1l 6y ago
  People don't say they are Anti-Choice, they say they are Pro-Life. I suspect these manuals are the same. You don't say you are against good-thing you say your are in favor of competing-good-thing.

luckylion 6y ago

Is there a lot of variety in the manuals? I assume that everyone writes something like what's mentioned in the article “I appreciate straight, direct communication. Say what you are thinking, and say it without wrapping your message” because the opposite would sound unprofessional.

redis_mlc 6y ago
That wouldn't work in SF. At all.
- samvher 6y ago
  Why do you say so? Is the default different?
  - rendall 6y ago
    SFans and urban west coast in general are known for a very friendly style of communication, even when the communication is negative. The rule of thumb is to say something positive, then say your negative thing, then say something positive again. People who are not used to that style find it confusing, and will often miss the fact that they have been dinged. Saying something negative directly without varnishing is considered outrageously gauche.
    - pmiller2 6y ago
      I've worked in SF for a few years and not really experienced the "shit sandwich" style of criticism, as I've grown to call it.
      - redis_mlc 6y ago
        SF HR departments are actually training staff to talk that way. Of course, they call it "compliment sandwich" instead. The really soft shit sandwich is when somebody opens with superfluously thanking you for attending a scheduled meeting, then attempts to attack you. They think they have to thank you as the first layer of their shit sandwich, before the garbage layer. Of course, it sounds ridiculous to hear somebody thank you for doing nothing except showing up. The reason for such "training" is that there is an epidemic of staff complaints against each other. It does keep HR staff busy (fullly-employed), but it also causes attrition.
im3w1l 6y ago
People don't say they are Anti-Choice, they say they are Pro-Life. I suspect these manuals are the same. You don't say you are against good-thing you say your are in favor of competing-good-thing.