I think that founders should write a guide to working with them. It would be one of the pieces I’m describing, to clarify the founder’s role: “What do I want to be involved in? When do I want to hear from you? What are my preferred communication modes? What makes me impatient? Don’t surprise me with X.” That’s super powerful. Because the problem is, people learn it in the moment, and by then it’s too late. - Claire Hughes Johnson, COO of Stripe and Board Member of Hallmark Cards

The Goal

You are building a document that communicates your leadership style and preferences to others. The final product can be used as a referential document for yourself, shared with your direct reports in conversation, and shared with new hires as they learn what it means to be on your team.

Here's an example:

These questions are questions to ask yourself as you write your Guide. The Guide is a reflection of YOUR preferences - the purpose is to become aware of, and clearly communicate, your preferences so that others become aware of them. Note: these are preferences, not commands. How you use this information is up to you.

Instructions

1. Copy the questions into a word document.
2. Answer each question, ideally in paragraph form, as if you were speaking with another person.
3. When the questions are answered, set it down for a day or two. Then, optionally, re-write your responses into a single narrative, organized in the way you wish these preferences to be communicated to another person.