"How to Work With Me" Manuals: What They Are & Why Every Team Needs One
What is a "how to work with me" document and how do you make one? Here’s the structure, prompts, and pro tips to help teams work better together.
What is a "how to work with me" manual?
Do you need a "how to work with me" manual? (Most likely, yes)
How to create a "how to work with me" manual in 3 steps
Step 1: Outline your working preferences
Step 2: Decide on a structure for your "work with me" document with your team
Remember: Your "how to work with me" doc
Remember: Your "how to work with me" doc should align with your company culture. If your organization has a reply within 6–7 hours on Slack policy, for example, it doesn’t make sense to go against that in your manual.
Step 3: Add "how to work with me" docs into your workflow
7 pro tips to remember while creating a "how to work with me" manual
1: Update your "how to work with me" doc regularly
2: Provide some context for your preferences (if necessary)
3: Ask your team members to offer feedback about your work blueprint
4: Frame your preferences with a solution-based framing
5: Store your blueprints in a place that’s easy to reference
6: Treat preferences as a guideline, not rigid rules
7: Keep your document short and skimmable
Rochi Zalani
Rochi is a writer covering productivity, SaaS, and the freelance lifestyle.
