Working with Claire
What’s it like to work with you?
What’s it like to work with you?
Claire Johnson, previously COO at Stripe, and a VP at Google where she ran the ‘Great Manager Awards’, has served up a management masterclass on the question. She wrote down her answers and turned them into an ‘Unauthorized Guide’ on working with her.
She shares this document when starting with a new team, or onboarding new team members. It’s a guide and a user manual for working with her and serves as an ‘accelerant’ in getting to know each other. She mentions that she picked up the idea from the legendary Urs Hölzle at Google; it’s still pretty cutting edge as far as management practices go.
I think it works great for Claire and maybe it would work great for you. Let me know your thoughts after reading these highlights from Claire’s “Unauthorized Guide”:
“I’m very collaborative which means I like to discuss decisions and options and whiteboard big stuff in a group. I will rarely get stuck in one position or opinion but the downside is that you won’t always get a quick judgment out of me.”
“I’m not a micro-manager and I won’t sweat your details *unless* I think things are off track and if I do, I’ll tell you my concern and we can work together to make sure I understand and plan together on how to communicate better or right the situation.”
“Overall, I like more communication rather than less and I like to know what’s going on with you and your team and that helps me do a better job for you. I don’t view that as micromanagement but if you feel like I am too much in the weeds, please tell me.”
What’s great about Claire’s guide is how open and approachable it is. She’s willing to let people in, so that they can know what she’s like and how she works best.
She sets expectations. She won’t get into the weeds of your business, unless… (and I love the appropriate use of asterisks here to highlight **unless**), unless she thinks you’re not keeping up with the job.
She puts requests in context. More communication helps her do a better job for you. That’s true, but it’s often unstated. Being explicit helps her team understand that more communication is not simply the boss keeping tabs on them.
She points out the downsides of her style… don’t expect quick judgments, completely hands-off management, or a meeting-free working relationship with Claire. And rather than leave you to grumble about her flaws with your co-workers, she highlights the grumbles for you in advance.
She invites feedback. If you feel she’s straying from her stated purposes, she asks that you help keep her on track. She gives permission to share your opinions. She even provides some of the words and phrases a team member can use to share criticism in a way that doesn’t feel threatening or risky.
And she suggests fixes in a positive way. When there are problems, you’ll sit down together to find solutions and communicate better.
A couple more passages to highlight:
“I take action items really seriously and I expect you to know what yours are, when they are due, and get them done. I don’t like chasing them but I do notice when things slip”
I love how she emphasizes really seriously here. There can be no doubt in your mind about what she requires from you. And her expectation is that you’ll know your stuff. The boss will be unhappy otherwise!
“Weekly team meetings —I view these as both update and decision-making/work review forums. I expect people to be prepared and to participate, even though we’ll have to manage video conferences and time zones.”
She sets the table for meetings - both updates and decisions will happen. And is definitive about what you are requested to do - be a part of the meeting and have your preparation done.
If the goal is driving team performance, Claire’s ‘Unauthorized Guide’ gets an ‘A’.
Team members know their jobs and that they need to deliver. No guesswork required about what the boss is thinking or hoping to see from you.
Claire’s Unauthorized Guide paves the way for praise as well as performance conversations. The direct report who repeatedly misses action items is going to hear about it from the boss.
This is leading by example. Claire demonstrates excellence in communication, setting boundaries, and holding people accountable. The managers on her team are witnessing the right way to do it.
The upside of this management style is that expectations are clear to everyone on the team. It also creates a sense of shared purpose.
The downsides for this approach are that the boss has to know themselves pretty well. For example, it would be demoralizing for a boss to say they’re not a micro-manager, and then wanting to review every email you sent to your team or criticizing your font choice on your annual review.
It also won’t work if the team isn’t sufficiently mature, or professional enough, to respond to this type of communication. You could end up with team members taking advantage, or being overly literal.
Interestingly, in a longer interview she notes that only 50% of her direct reports picked up the practice and wrote guides with their teams.
What do you think? Would your team benefit from a guide from the boss?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
What’s old is new again; as a seasoned executive I was introduced to a program called NMAP or New Manager Assimilation Program and it lays out who you are as a leader, let’s new teammates learn about what matters to you and how you will work together. It is usually a day long defined process. I have done it 5 time in my career as I have been promoted or new in role. It is critical to high performing teams!
This example is a one way conversation telling people how to working with you. While efficient, I think the NMAP would be better for my leadership style. Why, because I get to know the team as well!
She sounds just like the micro-manager I currently have. Hands off, except every day when she interferes in the work to be done, and wants to second guess what you are doing. Do not like what I am reading.