Personal Operating Manual

"If you don't start putting those things in early, people will just invent those things. And then you'll have a house that got added on to 17 times." — Claire Hughes Johnson

What It Is

A document created by a leader that articulates their values, quirks, and expectations to accelerate mutual understanding with their team.

When To Use

• Onboarding new team members
• Taking over a new team
• After promotion to leadership
• As a team-building exercise

Personal Operating Manual Template

# [Your Name]'s Operating Manual

## My Top 3 Values
1. [Value 1] — Story/origin of why this matters to me
2. [Value 2] — Story/origin
3. [Value 3] — Story/origin

## My Work Style
- Introvert ◀️────▶️ Extrovert:  [X]
- Task ◀️────▶️ People-Oriented: [X]
- Morning person / Night owl:     [X]

## How I Communicate
- I prefer [async/sync] for [context]
- Default response time: [X hours/days]
- Best way to get my attention: [method]

## My Operating Principles
1. "[Principle 1]" — What this means in practice
2. "[Principle 2]" — What this means in practice
3. "[Principle 3]" — What this means in practice

## What I Expect From You
- [Expectation 1]
- [Expectation 2]

## What You Can Expect From Me
- [Commitment 1]
- [Commitment 2]

## How to Give Me Feedback
- [Preferred method]
- [What to avoid]

Core Principles

1. Define Top Values

Select 3 core values (e.g., Integrity, Curiosity) and identify the personal stories/trauma that formed them.

2. Map Work Style

Plot yourself on axes of Introvert vs. Extrovert and Task-Oriented vs. People-Oriented.

3. Articulate Principles

Write down your "rules of engagement" (e.g., "Build self-awareness to build mutual awareness").

4. Publish & Iterate

Share this document with the team and ask for their manuals in return.

How To Apply

STEP 1: Self-Reflect
└── What formed your values?
└── What are your communication quirks?
└── What triggers frustration for you?

STEP 2: Write First Draft
└── Be specific, not generic
└── Include the "why" behind each item

STEP 3: Share with Team
└── Present in team meeting or onboarding
└── Invite questions and clarifications

STEP 4: Request Reciprocity
└── Ask team members to create theirs
└── Use as conversation starters in 1:1s

STEP 5: Iterate
└── Update based on feedback
└── Revisit annually

Common Mistakes

❌ Listing generic values (like "honesty") without explaining specific behaviors

❌ Creating the manual but never actually sharing it

❌ Treating it as static instead of a living document

Real-World Example

Claire sharing her principle of "Say the thing you think you cannot say" so her team knows that her direct feedback is meant to be helpful, not brutal.

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Source: Claire Hughes Johnson, Lenny's Podcast