User Manuals for Humans
Way back in 2002, before the newsletter evolved into a blog, I wrote an article observing that the most important resource in a work place, the human ones that is, are the only ones that don’t come with User Manuals.
“Modern executives have User Manuals for: computers, software, printers, copiers, fax machines, cell phones and of course the cars your team takes onto the road. Whether the medium is print or electronic, the table of contents for your equipment is basically the same:1 Getting it started; 2 Getting it to do what you want it to do; 3 Getting it to work with other equipment; 4 Special functions; 5 Routine Maintenance; 6 What to do when it doesn’t work; and 7 Whom to call in case of emergency. The one exception is for the most important resource available to a leader: the human ones.”
Then seventeen years later, I watched a Dan Pink pod cast where he hosts Abby Falik, of Global Citizen Year, who is promoting, you guessed it: User Manuals for humans. While my article advocated Jungian theory (explicated in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator) as a resource for better understanding teammates at work, Abby Falik’s version is a tad simpler. She proposes contemplating and then sharing the answers to four questions:
1 What are things that give you energy and things that deplete it from you?
2 What are the best ways to communicate with you?
3 What are your pet peeves?
4 What do people misunderstand about you?For those of you familiar with Jungian theory, you can incorporate that knowledge into your answers like Abby does. For example, when prompted by Dan on what people misunderstand about her, she answers that she is really an Introvert who masquerades as an Extravert.
I think writing and sharing User Manuals is a great idea for a mature team where trust is already established. Younger or conflict-ridden teams would likely encounter resistance. For them, I would recommend, no surprise, a dose of Jungian theory applied to team work.
To put it out there for the whole world to see, here are my answers to Abby’s questions:1 What are things that give you energy and things that deplete it from you?Innovative ideas give me energy and boring meetings deplete it.
2 What are the best ways to communicate with you?
I am an Extravert. Talk to me.
3 What are your pet peeves?
People who say, “But, we have always done it this way.” Tailgaters (Not the ones who party at football games. Those who trail dangerously close on the road.)
4 What do people misunderstand about you?
I am not changing my mind. I am just entertaining a different idea through conversation.
In sum, I am a classic ENTP.
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