How to work with me effectively I'm learning to delegate more so I can focus on high-leverage work
What I Value
- Constant learning and growth - I'm driven by the need to learn continuously I expect the same from my team
- Move fast and break things - Execute fast If you're wrong, we can fix it later Don't wait for approval
- Asynchronous communication - I prefer async If you message me, assume I have 5 minutes to process and respond
- Direct communication - Keep it yes/no or number-based Be brief Don't bury important information
- Take ownership - If the task is hard, I probably didn't give enough details Ask for what you need
- Simplicity - I hate unearned complexity If I see a flowchart with 12 things, I lose my mind
Pet Peeves
- Silence - Not getting updates makes me anxious "Working on this" or "I'm blocked here" are good messages
- Context switching - Remind me where things are when you update me Assume I read but don't remember
- Lack of feedback - I need critical feedback regularly If you're not telling me what could be better, it holds us both back
How to Communicate
Use async first Discord/Telegram or text messages work best Keep it brief with bullet points
I'm often mobile Messages should be structured for quick skimming Put key info at the top
Ask specific questions Frame questions so they can be answered with yes/no or numbers "How can I help?" beats "Do you think I should work on X?"
Prep me for meetings Send materials before to reset my focus Follow up with summary and action items
How to Message Me
Message me on Discord/Telegram If urgent, text me No links, short messages
Good practices:
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Clear subject lines - Make the topic immediately apparent
- Good: "Urgent: Client proposal needs approval by 3pm"
- Bad: "Quick question"
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Structure for quick decisions - Present numbered options
- Good: "Logo options: 1 Blue 2 Green 3 Red Which? Default to #1 if no response by EOD"
- Bad: "What color should we use?"
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Flag time-sensitive items - Use [Urgent], [Time-sensitive], or [FYI] prefixes
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Use visuals - Screenshots convey information faster than text
- Good: "New dashboard layout: [screenshot] Thoughts?"
- Bad: Long description of layout changes
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End with clear next step - What action do you need from me?
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Keep it short - Put the ask at the top with clear call to action
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Ask forgiveness, not permission - "I'm going to do this, let me know if wrong" beats "What do you think about this?"
How I Prioritize
- Client work first - Always be moving things along or waiting for client feedback
- Fridays for personal work - If you're full-time, Fridays are good for personal projects
- Delegate early - If something isn't clear, ask for clarity now I'd rather spend time upfront
- Tell people you're blocking - "I'm waiting on you to do X so I can deliver Y by this date, otherwise Z"
Working Together
- Own your tasks - Don't wait for approval on every detail Take action, even if mistakes happen
- Give consistent updates - Silence creates stress Even small updates help If you get 1% off every day, you'll be completely off by end of week
- Challenge me with feedback - Tell me what's not working I need feedback to grow
- Follow up after meetings - Clear summary of next steps and anything needing feedback
My Leadership Approach
I'm a new manager I want to be hands-off If the team makes a mistake, I shoulder that responsibility as an opportunity to learn how to be a better leader