# Akshay's Manager Readme **VP at Juvare** # Introduction This is my README, a document that helps introduce you to my working style, philosophy, and expectations. It captures what you can expect in a working relationship with me; my intent in writing this is to accelerate our working relationship, and reduce the anxiety that is caused by having to guess. The intended audience is primarily anyone who reports in to me, though anyone is free to read it - or even provide feedback on it! Please treat it as a reference and promise on how I will conduct myself as a manager, and what I expect from you. I urge you to hold me accountable to my stated commitments, and to call out anything that might be missing from this document. This document is a living breathing thing and likely overcomplicated so I appreciate the feedback. # Personality quirks - I try to be direct during meetings, especially when I am asking questions to ensure that I understand something adequately. If you hear a series of questions from me, it's not an attack, it's me trying to come up to speed.  - I will say "got it" when I believe that I have consumed the relevant information. I do so with the intent of making meetings shorter and giving everyone time back where possible. If I say it multiple times over, I am probably trying to tell you to move on to a new topic. - I will challenge your ideas and you should challenge mine. I'll strive to do it in a productive and respectful manner and in an appropriate setting. If you don’t feel the manner or setting is appropriate, please tell me. After meetings in which I disagree vehemently I try to also grab lunch or drinks with folks to ensure that we both feel aligned - I am more cerebral than many people in how I talk. It comes across as being smart, but don't let that intimidate you: many times I get things wrong, and I rely on my colleagues to ensure that we fix them before they become a problem.    # My role As CCO, I am principally responsible for four things: 1) revenue retention by ensuring that clients see the impact of their investments in our solutions; 2) gross margins by ensuring high-quality and timely professional services engagements; 3) building scale through process and infrastructure; and 4) appropriate management of teams and inter-team relationships to drive long-term growth for the business.  My performance is measured by revenue retention and margin attainment. # What do I value most? - Business acumen - members of my team should strive to understand the business context in which we operate. I want you to solve problems because you understand the business goal and impacted stakeholders. If you don't understand why we're doing something, ask.  - Learning before judging - whether it's about one of our products or changing a process, I ask that you learn why it exists, what purposes it serves, or what it can do before passing judgment.   - Results orientation - we need to show results, as individuals, as teams, as a company. Moving fewer things from the to-do section to the done section is often better than marginal progress on a ton of things without any wins to show for it.  - Time - we don't have enough of it so we must use it wisely. That's why I try to end meetings early, circulate written notes, and come to meetings prepared. Call me out on it if you think I'm wasting your or others' time.  - Knowledge transfer -  low context communication enhances collaboration in diverse and cross-functional teams. Assuming that others know or agree on something can be a costly mistake, and one that's easily avoidable. # My Expectations - Keep your calendar open to Juvare. Mark private calendar items as private.  - If you need help prioritizing, ask. - Call me out if you think I wasted your or others' time on a poorly planned meeting. - Ask in near real time when they are urgent or are time-sensitive follow-up.  - Chunk requests for 1:1 or stand-ups where possible without significantly slowing down delivery of work product. - If you are not going to be in the office between the hours of 8:30 AM ET and 5 PM ET, update your calendar to reflect your working hours and OOO hours, and ensure that the team knows.  - Search for information independently before asking someone for it. At least try.  - Share links to documentation when asked for some information to reinforce a culture of keeping documentation up-to-date. - Take ownership of your career by reflecting on your own skills, accomplishments, opportunities, and using me as a resource.    - Tell me when I mess up, or have a terrible idea.  # 1:1s I have 1:1s with new members of the team 3x per week for the first two months. This ensures that there is a time where I can answer questions and help you overcome any initial hurdles. After that, I prefer to have a 45-minute 1:1 every week. We don't need to use all the time, but it's there, and it's yours.  1:1 meetings are most productive when you have an agenda prior to the meeting. I think of one-on-ones as your time. I will probably have some things to discuss with you, but these are your opportunities to let me know how you're doing, what you need, and what you wish could be different. These are for the conversations you might not necessarily have with me when we're sitting at our desks amongst coworkers.  I might have some feedback for you during these meetings, but I prefer to provide feedback in near-real time.  ### A sample agenda: - General Task Updates - Roadblocks/Issues - What can I help you with? - Action Items **Urgent matters should not wait for a 1:1.** # Performance Reviews I strive to give feedback clearly and in near real time but it's helpful to step back and jointly review performance over a period of time. My goal is to have such a conversation each quarter. Different individuals on the team who are at different stages of their careers want different details and levels of feedback and we should engage in that conversation so you are getting what you need from me in this area. In both the frequency and content of this, you should feel free to call me out if you're not getting what you need.