As August tends to mark the end of “vacation season” and “back to school” for many, this month I thought we could refocus on getting back into the swing of things with the theme “Working With and Through Others”. We will look at topics like how to meet people where they are, how to know when to develop and when to let go, and today’s topic, how to provide others with a shortcut to your best self.

Do you sometimes wish people came with instructions or user manuals like appliances and electronics? It’s okay to say yes…these aids help us get the most out of our investments when we know how they work best. 

Apply the same principle to humans; we’re more dynamic than any appliance on the market today. (Those who remember the Hanna-Barbera classic cartoon, The Jetsons, may note that Rosey the Robot was quite the dynamic machine, and I would entertain your challenge as the exception to this premise. Well done.) 

Imagine creating a basic shortcut to allow you to reflect on your unique qualities and tap into your self-awareness while being proactive in letting others know how you work best and how they can best work with you. You can! 

By completing a PERSONAL USER MANUAL (with this easy-to-use one-page template) you can create a roadmap and ways of working that will save time, energy, and effort and maximize working relationships. In the past, leaders and teams have completed the template, distributed it throughout the team, used it in team workshops, and even created People Manuals for their departments. Have fun with this exercise; it’s minimal effort for maximum gain.

Some of the comments that surfaced were:

  • “I never knew they enjoyed doing those pieces of our projects.”
  • “I wish I knew they wanted the information delivered that way.”
  • “I will circle back with them in the afternoons now that I know that’s their most creative time.”
  • “I can come with data in hand vs. looking to brainstorm when it’s our 1:1 time.”
  • “What they don’t like is what I love; I can help them with that.”

If each of us came with a Personal User Manual, clues that we might be stressed could be recognized earlier, reducing the need for subsequent system malfunction. Understanding how we work maximizes our ability to get the best out of our investments.