Member-only story
Why I couldn’t write a manager README
OK, so I tried. I really did try to write one.
OK, so I tried. I really did try to write one. Multiple times.
But for some reason, they all came out trite.
Whenever I had a spare moment during the long Bank Holiday weekend, I would open up my laptop and begin to make notes on the definition of my role, on what I expect from those that report into me, how I like to communicate, the intricacies of my personality, and so on.
Each time I completed a further round of edits on it, I would step away from the computer. Upon returning later on, I’d reopen what I wrote previously, but I was always disappointed with what I read.
Although the purpose of a manager README is to help a relationship between a manager and their direct report get off on the right foot, I was unsure as to whether I was even getting the right impression of myself.
A thought repeatedly entered my mind.
“Who on Earth is this person that needs to write a document to tell me how to work with them? Is this really me?”
Maybe my view was not the opinion of the majority, as the idea of manager READMEs has gained some traction. But, regardless of how others may feel, here’s my personal take on it.
