How to Work With Me
How to Work With Me: A Personal User Manual
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
As an AI engineer with a passion for technology, running, and hiking, I’ve found that clear communication and a shared understanding of work styles are key to successful collaboration. Over the years, I’ve learned that being explicit about how you work—your preferences, triggers, and values—dramatically improves team dynamics and reduces friction.
This document is my personal user manual. Think of it as documentation for working with me effectively. I share it not because I expect everyone to accommodate my preferences, but because transparency creates better collaboration. I encourage everyone I work with to create their own.
Communication Style
Preferred Channels and Response Times
I prefer clear, concise communication primarily via email or chat (like Slack). I’m quick to respond during work hours—usually within an hour for chat, same day for email. For anything urgent, a direct message or a quick call is best.
What works well:
- Slack/chat for quick questions, status updates, and informal coordination
- Email for anything that needs a paper trail or requires thoughtful response
- Video calls for complex discussions, brainstorming, or sensitive topics
- Documents for proposals, designs, or anything that benefits from async review
What doesn’t work:
- Expecting immediate responses outside work hours (I protect my personal time)
- Long email threads that should have been a 10-minute call
- Ambiguous messages that require multiple rounds of clarification
Small Talk vs. Straight to Work
I appreciate a little small talk to build rapport, but I like to get down to business quickly to maintain focus and efficiency. A brief “how’s it going?” is welcome; a 15-minute preamble before getting to the point is not.
That said, I genuinely care about the people I work with. I’m happy to have longer personal conversations—just not when we’re supposed to be solving a problem or making a decision. Context matters.
Writing vs. Speaking
I’m a strong writer and often prefer to communicate complex ideas in writing first. This gives me time to think clearly and gives you time to process before we discuss. If I send you a doc before a meeting, I’ve probably put real thought into it and would appreciate if you read it beforehand.
For brainstorming and exploration, I prefer talking. Writing is better for precision; speaking is better for creativity.
Feedback and Trust
How I Like to Receive Feedback
I value constructive feedback that is direct, respectful, and actionable. Don’t soften criticism to the point where I miss the message. I’d rather hear “this approach won’t work because X” than “this is interesting, but maybe we could consider…”
For detailed feedback, I prefer it to be scheduled and in writing to ensure clarity. Catching me in the hallway with major feedback doesn’t give me space to process and respond thoughtfully.
What helps:
- Be specific about what’s not working and why
- Offer alternatives when possible
- Separate the idea from the person—I can handle criticism of my work without taking it personally
- Give me time to respond; I process feedback better when I can reflect
How I Give Feedback
I try to be direct but kind. I’ll tell you what I think isn’t working, but I’ll also explain why and suggest alternatives. I assume good intent and focus on the work, not the person.
If I seem quiet in a review, it usually means I’m thinking, not that I disapprove. I’ll speak up when I have something substantive to add.
Trust Builders and Eroders
Trust is built by:
- Doing what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it
- Communicating proactively, especially when things go wrong
- Being honest about uncertainty or mistakes
- Respecting work-life boundaries
- Following through on commitments, even small ones
Trust is eroded by:
- Overpromising and underdelivering
- Providing vague updates that obscure the real status
- Saying yes when you mean no (or maybe)
- Taking credit for others’ work
- Being unreliable on deadlines without communication
I extend trust quickly and assume competence until proven otherwise. But once trust is broken, it takes significant effort to rebuild.
Work Style and Preferences
What Energizes Me
I’m energized by intellectually challenging projects, having autonomy, and opportunities to innovate with AI and machine learning technologies. Give me a hard problem, the freedom to solve it my way, and colleagues who push me to think better—that’s my ideal environment.
Specifically:
- Deep technical work where I can focus for extended periods
- Ambiguous problems that require creative solutions
- Cross-functional collaboration where I learn from people with different expertise
- Shipping things that users actually use and benefit from
- Learning new domains and applying technical skills in novel contexts
What Causes Stress
Long meetings without clear outcomes, ambiguous goals, or multitasking under tight deadlines are significant sources of stress for me. I can handle pressure, but I need clarity about what success looks like.
Specific stressors:
- Meetings that should have been emails (or docs, or Slack messages)
- Unclear ownership where nobody knows who’s responsible for what
- Constant context-switching that prevents deep work
- Politics over substance where decisions are made for reasons other than merit
- Unrealistic deadlines set without input from the people doing the work
Frustration Triggers
It can be frustrating when expectations are unclear, there are last-minute changes, or meetings lack a clear structure, especially when it disrupts focused work time.
I try to manage my frustration constructively, but if you notice me getting short or withdrawn, it’s probably because one of these triggers has been hit. The best thing you can do is help me understand the context—often my frustration comes from not understanding why something is happening.
Accountability Reminders
Feel free to remind me to delegate tasks when my plate is full and to take breaks during intense work sessions to stay productive. I have a tendency to take on too much and push through when I should step back. A gentle nudge helps.
Strengths and Growth Areas
My Top Strengths
My strengths lie in my deep technical expertise in AI, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and a disciplined approach to work.
More specifically:
- Technical depth in machine learning, NLP, and AI systems
- Analytical thinking that breaks complex problems into tractable pieces
- Written communication that clarifies and persuades
- Execution discipline that turns plans into shipped products
- Learning agility that lets me pick up new domains quickly
Areas for Growth
I’m currently working on improving my public speaking, enhancing cross-team collaboration, and honing my system design interview skills.
I’m also working on:
- Patience with ambiguity when the path forward isn’t clear
- Delegating more instead of doing everything myself
- Building relationships with people outside my immediate team
- Saying no to protect focus time
I appreciate when colleagues help me grow in these areas—whether by giving me opportunities to practice or by providing feedback when I fall short.
Decision-Making and Collaboration
My Decision-Making Style
I have an analytical and data-driven decision-making style, which I balance with practical experience and input from the team. I like to understand the problem deeply before proposing solutions, and I prefer decisions backed by evidence over intuition alone.
That said, I recognize that not every decision can wait for perfect information. I’m comfortable making calls with incomplete data when necessary, and I’m willing to change course when new information emerges.
Expectations from Colleagues
I expect colleagues to be reliable communicators, respect deadlines, and be willing to share their knowledge openly.
More specifically:
- Follow through on commitments or communicate early if you can’t
- Be direct about disagreements rather than going around me
- Share context that helps me do my job better
- Respect focus time and don’t expect instant responses to non-urgent requests
- Bring solutions along with problems when possible
Meeting Style Preference
I prefer structured meetings with clear agendas and actionable next steps, and I’m a fan of keeping them as short as necessary.
What makes a good meeting:
- Clear purpose stated upfront
- Agenda shared in advance
- Right people in the room (and no one extra)
- Decisions made or next steps assigned before ending
- Notes captured and shared
What makes a bad meeting:
- No agenda or unclear purpose
- Too many people, most of whom are silent
- Discussion that goes in circles without resolution
- No clear outcomes or follow-ups
Personal Side
How I Like to Celebrate Wins
I appreciate simple acknowledgments, like a verbal shout-out or a quick team message, to celebrate our accomplishments. I don’t need elaborate celebrations, but recognition matters—both for me and for the team.
I also believe in celebrating others. If you did great work, I’ll make sure people know about it.
Outside of Work
Outside of work, I’m an avid runner and outdoor enthusiast. I value work-life balance and am always learning—currently, I’m exploring drone flying and pilot training.
Running is my meditation. It’s when I process problems, decompress from stress, and maintain the physical energy that fuels everything else. If I seem particularly clear-headed after lunch, it’s probably because I got a run in.
I’m also deeply curious. I read widely, pick up new hobbies regularly, and enjoy conversations that teach me something new. If you have expertise in something I don’t know about, I’d love to hear about it.
Working Together
By sharing this, I hope to foster a more transparent and effective working relationship with my colleagues. This document isn’t meant to be a set of demands—it’s an invitation to understand how I work best and to share how you work best in return.
The best collaborations happen when people understand each other. I’ve found that being explicit about preferences, triggers, and values prevents misunderstandings and builds trust faster than any team-building exercise.
If you have your own user manual, I’d love to read it. If you don’t, consider writing one. The exercise of articulating how you work is valuable in itself, and sharing it makes collaboration smoother for everyone.