# Dan Garrett's Manager Readme

**CEO at farewill**

# Motivation for this document

I'd love for this to help the people I manage, as well as others across the business, to get the most from working with me.&nbsp;

I'd love for everyone to understand:

- where my motivation comes from deep down&nbsp;
- the bits I find the hardest at work
- what fills me full of energy and joy!  

# My role

The CEO job is often described as the&nbsp;"Head of Strategic Execution". That means being accountable for defining our strategy, and tying it in to execution. In other words, come up with a plan, and problem solve it into reality. At different times, there are different problems to solve - meaning that there's a lot of breadth to the role.

Some of the biggest challenges I'm facing in the next 12 months are:&nbsp;

1. Running a high performing, growing leadership team
2. Helping my Direct Reports to grow into their challenging, often changing roles
3. Co-ordinating our strategic focus through DIBBS and OKRs
4. Raising money in our Series B&nbsp;
5. Inspiring and leading the organisation as we rapidly grow in headcount&nbsp;

There's a lot of writing about being a CEO and what it means online. Another definition I like is The 5 Core Jobs of a CEO:

1. Nail down strategy for the company
2. Deliver capital to pursue that strategy
3. Build the team to execute&nbsp;
4. Communicate the hell out of the strategy
5. Hold people accountable

If at any point you think I could be doing one of these better I'd really like to know about it.

# What do I value most?

I absolutely love the feeling of accomplishing something that I didn't know was possible - or that I previously didn't know how I'd go about solving. To me, that feeling makes the world smaller! You learn something about yourself, about the other people you work with, and in a way - about life itself!&nbsp;Grandiose as that may sounds, it's been my experience, through school to university, to the Royal College of Art,&nbsp;to Farewill.&nbsp;

For that reason, one of the things I value most is the ability to face up - David and Goliath style - to a monstrous problem. To stand at the bottom of a mile-high cliff, high-five, and ask ourselves how we're going to get cracking.&nbsp;

I also really value (dare I say it) ... passion. I absolutely love what I do, and it's a huge privilege that I get to do it. It doesn't mean it's not awful sometimes, but I'll fight hard for my chance to do it, and I'll give it everything I've got.

I really value it when other people in the team:&nbsp;

- Work hard - not necessarily in terms of hours - but in terms of focus, intention, and enthusiasm&nbsp;
- Come to me with ideas for making things better

- Think laterally about how we could solve a problem - e.g. can we reframe it /&nbsp;quick-fix it /&nbsp;give it to someone else / ignore it all together / bring in extra help
- Prove me wrong

- Invite me to collaborate on something particularly tough
- Love what they do and are infectious with their enthusiasm (which doesn't have to be in an extroverted way!)

# My Expectations

One of the tricky things about working with me is that my expectations can vary. It can depend on my energy levels, amount of available brain space, how I'm feeling - or a whole load of other things.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In general I expect a very high level of numerical reasoning behind solutions or suggestions of work. If something hasn't been well thought through I'm generally not impressed - and have a tendency to show it.&nbsp;

I expect that people have thought beyond their own area, and into the implications of their idea into other areas of the business.&nbsp;

I really like it when people are willing to stick-up for their point. I naturally communicate through debate and argument (it&nbsp;'s what goes on in my own head!). So I have a tendency to ask tough questions, quickly. In that scenario, I'm trying to actively engage in a debate.&nbsp;I genuinely love to be proved wrong, but will do my best to roadtest your idea until one of us comes out on top!

I also expect people to think fast. I don't have tonnes of time always, so if I'm pulled into a meeting for something exciting in a different area of the company, I like to work at speed to maximise the impact I can have. It's ok to tell me to stfu or slow down - but hopefully you'll also be up for putting the pedal to the metal.

In general I expect people to be kind, honest, brilliant at what they do, and up for having a massive screaming row without falling out (joking... not joking).

# Personality quirks

I bring 100% of myself to work. There's no professional side to me that I roll out for display.&nbsp;

The positive side to this is that it gives me lots of energy, and means I'm always (I hope) authentic at work.&nbsp;There's no bullshit, lying, or scheming going on - and I can switch on my head, heart, and gut to solve problems at full-force.&nbsp;

The dark side to that is that I can also be angry. Or upset. Or exhausted. Or even sometimes mean.&nbsp;

My goal is to minimise the negative effect that has on other people. It's a source of energy for me and I do find it useful. But I'm not proud of it and it can be quite destructive.&nbsp;

I also love great storytelling. And clearly written narratives. They're unbelievably powerful - particularly in business - where people aren't normally that great at storytelling. It's been my secret weapon for hiring people, raising money, all kinds of things at work. I am highly susceptible to a well told story - so if you'd like to manipulate me / win me over to your side of a point&nbsp;- that's the key.&nbsp;

Also -&nbsp;and I know this is dangerous because I already said 'passion' a few paragraphs ago&nbsp;- I really do honestly just love having fun. So if you bring some fun to the table I will probably love you for it.&nbsp;

Thanks for reading!&nbsp;

Dan

# + dealing with conflict

After asking for feedback from my Direct Reports they thought it'd be handy to include a section on dealing with me when things get heated.&nbsp;

Not everyone likes heated debate - it's my preference but it may not be yours.&nbsp;

If it's not your preference then a good way of handling it is to say "heated debate doesn't get the best out of me, please could I have some time to think this through and discuss it again tomorrow/thursday/next month?"

If you want to carry on the debate, but turn down the heat, you could try "I don't think we're getting the most out of each other here - can we agree on what we're trying to solve, and write down where we do or don't agree so we can make progress?".