You should treat yourself like a Järvfjället chair from IKEA. Here’s why.
If you’ve ever been 23, you’ve owned something from IKEA. Affordable and available!? There’s a magic something that made that possible. The assembly manual.
And those instructions are crucial. They’re the difference between having the supplies and owning a Järvfjället. This is why I recommend creating a manual to YOU.
You’re the expert of how you operate. Why not share what you know with people who want to succeed with you? I love to send teammates my user manual because it sets expectations and minimizes the guesswork of collaboration.
A user manual does 3 things really well:
✍🏼 Clarifies your communication style
Start off by letting people know how you like to be in touch.
- What time of day is best for a coffee chat?
- When do you prefer brainstorming blocks?
- How often do you plan to hold performance reviews?
🛟 Builds safety among teammates
Share about your team rituals and routines. Let people know how to get involved.
- Do you give verbal or written feedback? How do you prefer to receive it?
- What’s the breakdown between in-person and remote work?
- Do team meetings usually run long? Or do you block calls to the minute?
🤪 Shows your personality
It’s helpful to decode how you show up, especially with remote teammates.
- What’s you DISC, Strengths Finder, or Myers-Briggs?
- Do you have any events you train for outside of work?
- Do you check email on weekends?
Give it a try. Then treat yourself to a $1 IKEA hotdog.
