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My Work Boundaries

§ 1. What’s the best way to reach you?

  • I prefer quick calls over back and forth emails
  • However, I also prefer async communication over sync communication. If it can be a text message/email I can answer to later, please put it there (and gauge whether it has the potential to become an email chain)
  • Anything nonurgent? Please batch it together.

§ 2. How do you like to get feedback?

I very much enjoy operating by Crocker's Rules.

In concrete terms, that means:

I like getting direct, specific feedback in real time with examples, no matter how harsh it’s gonna get. (So be brutal. If you’re wrong, I may think you’re an idiot, though.)

§ 3. What are your best working hours?

Not in the early morning, cause I’m still asleep then. Probably focused work from 13.00-17.00, with meetings from 11.00 on?

§ 4. What’s your preferred meeting style?

I love agendas beforehand, outcome/todo-lists, and structure. But if there isn’t any, I’ll try and create some.

§ 5. What drains your energy fastest?

Work that doesn’t feel like I’m getting somewhere/busywork. It really drains me a lot when I don’t see the purpose in what I’m doing right now.

§ 6. What skills are you working on?

I’m not sure how much this fits in here, really. Especially since people very much tend to say they work on something as an excuse for not actually doing the thing.

That, in turn, makes me want to rephrase this as What skills are you practicing deliberately?—because that wouldn’t be only trying then anymore. But this raises the bar pretty high.

I think the original question tried to target three things:

  1. The skills I’m actually practicing deliberately
  2. The things I’m currently working on (probably not skills)
  3. The things other people can point out to me without me getting upset so that I can improve

So:

§ 1. Deliberate Practice

  • typing faster

§ 2. Working on

  • improving my overall workflows
  • learning new tools
  • learning new mental models
  • getting better at Software Architecture

§ 3. Things I’m happy about when you point them out

Following the my Crocker’s Rule announcement: Everything, please?

Some examples:

  • When you thought I didn’t have a high enough standard
  • When you think I’m stupid and should do something different
  • When you think I’m wrong
  • When my behavior annoys you in any way