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.

Source: Claire Hughes Johnson, Lenny's Podcast