My Personal User Manual


One of my bosses, Ryan Smith, recently blogged about the clarity of a personal user manual. As I thought more and more about his post, I thought about how it might help me in my role as an ITS. Something like this might be useful, considering a large part of being successful at my job requires building and maintaining positive relationships with my staff.






So here is my personal user manual:

 I'm a pretty positive person and I tend to smile a lot. Sometimes I worry that others will think my smile is fake or looks fake because I do it so much. But I promise it’s not… I can’t really fake a smile.


One of my biggest strengths is that I am willing to say yes to new projects and innovative ideas. One of my biggest weaknesses is that I have a hard time saying no. So if I say no to an idea/project, it is not because I don't want to be involved, it is because I feel that I cannot give it the time that it deserves.

I hate looking incompetent. I prefer to be "in the know" in order to avoid that. If I ask questions about what is going on, I am not being gossipy per se, but I am trying to stay informed, so that I can offer and do my best.

When I am excited about something, I can be loud. When I am super excited about something, I can be extra loud. This can be off-putting to some, and I don't mean it to be. I have worked on it for years, and while I am aware of it, I can't always control it.

I am not easily frustrated, but when I am frustrated, you will be able to tell by the tone of my voice. There are lots of words to describe it, and none are good.

The word 'Hangry" was probably developed for me. If I appear angry, offer me a snack.

 I have a husband, two teen daughters, and a cocker spaniel - they mean the world to me. I love talking about them and asking about them is a great way to build a positive relationship with me.


Do you have a personal user manual? What would you say?




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