This was pointed out to me from the original author, who's work is available at https://github.com/KatieLo/README and inspired me to fork this. I thought it was a brilliant idea and decided to create my own README.
I wholeheartedly believe in servant leadership. My favorite leadership quote is from Ralph Nader, who said "The purpose of a leader is not to make better followers. The purpose of a leader is to make better leaders". I take inspiration from Dee Hock, John Boyd, etc.
I believe that as an engineering manager, I can apply the same principles to leadership that I did to engineering which means I study, I experiment, I take notes, I fail, I learn and I move forward. I study every bit as hard as I did when learning new languages or frameworks.
When I was just a wee young lad, I often said to myself "Man, I want to be the boss someday. They get to sit around with their feet up and tell everyone else what to do.". Now that I'm no longer a wee young lad, I realize how stupid that statement was and realize that I work far harder as a manager than I ever did as a line engineer or worker. Fortunately, I like to work hard.
My answers to first 1:1 questions
What makes you grumpy?
- Mostly being bored. I tend to grumble a lot when I'm busy, but that's usually a sign that I'm doing fine. If I'm bored, I'm going to start poking around in places where I probably shouldn't be and trying to inflict help on people that don't want it. However, there's a limit. If I do get too busy I become frazzled, tired and then very grumpy.
How will I know when you’re grumpy?
- Contrary to appearances, when I appear grumpy I'm probably not. If I'm quiet I'm probably pissed off.
How can I help you when you’re grumpy?
- First, recognize it. Then pull me aside privately and ask whether I am or not and don't just assume. I will always be honest. If I am, we'll talk about why I am grumpy and what we can do together to fix it.
How do you like feedback - slack, email, in person, etc?
- I prefer it in person or over direct messaging like slack, etc.
How do you like feedback - routine like in 1:1s, or as-it-happens?
- All of the above? I really like feedback in all cases and at all times, I hate having to guess where I stand with you. If you're upset, tell me early and give me a chance to fix it. I also really appreciate regular end of 1:1 comments such as "this is how I think you're doing right now and this is why"
How do you prefer to receive recognition? (public or private)
- Mostly private, but very very infrequently public acknowledgement. In general being praised in public embarasses me, however the occasional "Hey Gary, you killed it on so and so, thanks for the hard work" in public is nice as long as you don't make a big huge deal out of it.
What makes 1:1s the most valuable for you?
- open and honest feedback, both ways. Understanding that my career is a journey and helping me to work through that. I don't feel that 1:1s should be used to go over all the individual tasks I'm dealing with day to day and to give you status updates. I instead want to discuss the challenges I'm facing along with the opportunities you have seen for me.
What are your goals for this year? And for the next 3 months?
- For the year? To continuously grow as a person. I feel that the company I am working at should be better with me there and if they are not better with me onboard I probably shouldn't be there. My goals are to constantly make my team, my coworkers and my company more effective and a better place each and every day. For the next 3 months? See previous answer.
What do you need from your manager?
- Open communication and honesty at all times. If you are dealing with a problem and I can be of help, let me know. If I'm the problem, let me know. If I'm not the problem but I can have an impact on it, let me now. I should never be surprised about where I stand with you, my team or my company.
From your team?
- Willingness to be honest and vulnerable with each other. I need to be on a team that leans on each other, takes turns shining bright, shares the spotlight and is constantly working to improve themselves both personally and as a group.
From your peers? (outside the team)
- Honesty. Without honesty, there is no trust. Without trust, the workplace becomes a miserable place to spend your time.
What’s your favourite baked good?
- Pies (especially a properly done sour cherry pie, a peach pie or my wife's raisin pie)
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Be honest with me at all times. Trust that I have your back and that I will do my best to help you grow. Don't ever let me be surprised, don't ever lie to me and tell me something just because you think that's what I want to hear.
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Do your best. Your best doesn't have to be perfect, but I expect 100% from you at all times. If that 100% still messes something up, we'll fix it together.
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I encourage you to bring me problems you are encountering. One of my more important jobs is to try and fix those things. However, please try to come up with ideas (you don't have to implement them, that may be my responsibility). If you can't come up with any ideas, at least come up with what sort of outcome you'd prefer to see. Don't fall into the victim trap. Of course, you may not HAVE any solutions or recommended outcomes, but if you've thought through it and hit a brick wall don't feel like you have to have an answer. Let me know that you've got a problem, you're stuck and you have no idea how to fix it and let me help you figure it out.
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If you don't know how to do something ask for help. Ask me, ask someone else on the team, your lead if you have one, a trusted peer, a coworker. Don't just wing it. Nobody knows everything.
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Don't be a hero. This is a job and heroics should not be needed. If you are the type to seek heroics, maybe we need to have a long discussion. Ultimately, if you are always a hero you risk denying someone else on the team the chance to grow and learn something new.
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I will always be honest with you. Sometimes you may like what I say, other times you may not. I will not lie to you ever, though.
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You can always expect me to be open, approachable and willing to listen to anything you have to say. I will not dismiss you out of hand and I will treat each thing you bring to me as an opportunity. I may argue about it with you because I will always be an engineer at heart and I will always be looking for the edge cases. That doesn't mean I don't like your idea, it means that I want to make sure you truly have thought it through. If you have a good idea speak up, but be prepared to take ownership when I say "That's a great idea, when are you going to deliver it?"
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Servant leadership is something I strive for every day. I will not ask you to do something that I either have never done myself or would not be willing to do myself. I may ask you to do a lot of things, but trust that I am not sitting around with my feet up on my desk relaxing while you do it. I will always be working to make your job better, to find opportunities for you to excel and to make the team look good.
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Transparency is critical. If you ever want to know what I'm doing, how I am spending my time or what I'm trying to accomplish I expect you to ask me and I will gladly share that information to the best of my ability. You should never have to think "what the hell does my manager even do all day?"
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I will not blamestorm. If the team does something good, I will make sure they get the credit. If the team does something wrong, I will shoulder the blame. That's just the way a good leader works, in my opinion, and that's not open for negotiation. If you screw something up, I'll take as much of the heat as I can from above. However, be aware that you and I will have a potentially painful series of private discussions about it while we figure out how to fix the problem together.
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Things that you and I discuss, especially in our 1:1's, are confidential. I will never use them as a means of leverage, nor will I gossip or share that information unless it's required (for instance an HR issue). If I feel that you've told me something that I think someone else needs to know, you and I will discuss it and I will only share it with your approval. I may, however, take immediate action on something you tell me if required or appropriate (again, see HR issue).