What’s All This Then?
This is my version of a “Manager README.” The purpose is to introduce myself and give you insight into how I think, how I work, and to answer some questions you might have about me. This is a living document and will change over time as necessary. Keeping it transparent is intentional.
TL;DR
- I care deeply about people, then product, then process, in that order.
- I value transparency, context, and feedback.
- I don’t micromanage and expect you to own your work.
- You’ll always know where you stand with me.
- I’m available via Slack and rarely answer phone calls unless it’s urgent.
- This is a living document and may evolve over time.
What This Is Not
- ❌ It won’t list my expectations of you.
- ❌ It won’t tell you how to do your job.
- ❌ It won’t define how any particular project should be run.
Important Note
This README is unofficial and does not override any formal HR policies or performance management processes.
I make no distinction between full-time, part-time, temporary, or remote employees. My goal is to treat everyone with equal respect and support. If it ever feels like I’m falling short, please let me know.
Who Am I?
I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia with my wife Shannie, my budgie Colonel Drumstick, and my cockatiel Coolwhip. I grew up in the Edmonton, Alberta area and have since lived in the USA, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, and now back in Canada. I’m a sports fan, comic book geek, video game player, electronics tinkerer, hobbyist athlete, and craft beer enthusiast. My pronouns are he/him/his.
I used to be highly extroverted, but I’ve grown more introverted with time.
Professionally, I started as a graphic designer in 2001 and quickly learned two things:
- I was bad at design.
- I loved coding.
I’ve worked primarily in frontend web development, particularly in the advertising agency space. Over the years, I’ve moved into hybrid IC/management roles, and now I focus mostly on people and teams, though I still dabble in code.
I’m what you might call a Paint-Drip person. Broad, shallow experience in many areas: backend dev, CI tools, animation, video production, project management, and more.
There’s plenty I’ll learn from you, and I hope I bring things you’ll learn from me, too.
What I Care About
In order of priority:
- 👥 People
- 📦 Products
- ⚙️ Process
People
We are all complex, individual human beings. I strive to honor that complexity. I have zero tolerance for harassment or discrimination of any kind (sex, race, orientation, religion, gender identity, etc.).
Products
We need to care deeply about the quality of what we deliver. Working in digital is powerful. We shape how the world sees our company and our work.
Process
Process exists to support people and products, not the other way around. You were hired because you’re good at what you do. Speaking up to improve our ways of working is not only welcome, it’s expected.
What You Can Expect From Me
- I will prioritize your well-being over output.
- I will create space for your ideas, feedback, and growth.
- I will advocate for you when you’re not in the room.
- I will give you honest answers and never lie to you.
- I will take your success personally.
- I will own and learn from my mistakes.
My Role, As I See It
1. Attract, hire, and retain the best people
If you’re reading this, you’re part of that mission.
2. Provide context
You should always understand how your work connects to larger goals, OKRs, and priorities. If something feels like pointless busywork, that’s on me. Either I haven’t provided context, or we need to reevaluate the work.
Let me know if that ever happens. It helps us both.
Communication
My Preferences
- 💬 In person
- 💬 Slack
- 📲 SMS / WhatsApp
- 🕳️ [gap] Email
- 🏞️ [Grand Canyon-sized gap] Anything else
Phone Calls
Not listed above for a reason. If my phone rings, I assume it’s an emergency. I use it sparingly and answer accordingly.
Response Time
I’m almost always available on Slack during Atlantic Standard Time business hours. For anything requiring action, send a DM with a clear ask—don’t rely on tags in issue trackers, as I get too many notifications. My calendar is often quite full, but if something is crucial, send me a Slack DM, mark it urgent in whatever way feels appropriate, and I’ll make time for you as soon as I can.
If you want me to see a ticket, drop a link to it in Slack.
After Hours
Sometimes I work evenings or weekends. Unless something is marked urgent, I do not expect you to respond outside business hours.
The exception: if I phone you, it’s urgent.
Feedback
Feedback is foundational. I expect to give it, receive it, and encourage it in all directions.
My #1 goal is for you to be happy, fulfilled, and doing great work. You should never hesitate to bring feedback, concerns, or challenges to me.
One-on-Ones (1-1s)
These meetings are important to me, and I will always make time for them (barring travel, vacation, illness, etc.).
What to Expect
- They’re your meetings.
- Bring anything you want: questions, frustrations, feedback, ideas.
- Not required to be status updates.
- Feel free to share agenda items ahead of time if context helps.
If something is urgent, don’t wait for the 1-1. Just ping me.
Performance Management (🚦 Model)
Note: This is unofficial and separate from HR processes.
I use a simple internal mental model to track performance:
- 🦎 Green: You’re doing great. I’m thrilled you’re on the team.
- 🐝 Yellow: Something’s not working long term. Let’s fix it together.
- 🦀 Red: A serious concern needs immediate correction to continue on the team.
Important:
- You will never be surprised by a change in status.
- If I haven’t said otherwise, assume you’re Green.
- Ask me if you’re ever unsure. I won’t mislead you.
A Word on PIPs
Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) are often misused as HR cover before firing someone. I hate that.
We all have ups and downs. A PIP, in my view, is a course correction, not a death sentence. I’ve helped people through PIPs back to great performance. If it ever comes to that, we’ll face it together with honesty and support.
What I Think I Do Well
- ✅ Provide context without control. (Watch this fantastic ten-minute video to understand more about this philosophy.)
- ✅ Understand and advocate for customer needs.
- ✅ Avoid micromanagement.
- ✅ Build trust and psychological safety.
What I Think I Don’t Do Well
- ❌ I’ve sometimes leaned too hard into “context without control” and waited too long to step in when someone was struggling. I’ve learned to stay more attuned and offer support sooner.
- ❌ Haven’t written production-grade code in a long time. Expect to know more than me here.
- ❌ Historically struggled to say “no” to requests. Still working on this.
Let’s Talk
I’d love your thoughts on this README. What’s helpful? What’s missing? How can we make working together even better?
My door (virtual) is open.