# Dani's Manager Readme

**Engineering People Manager at Flixbus**

# **Motivation for this document**

I wrote this document to share my expectations on what would  **make it most effective to work together**  so that you can hold me accountable. 

Use this document as  **an introduction to my mind and how I like to operate**. It is meant to work as a presentation and as something you can read without me talking about it. 

_It is a living document that will change. Please let me know if you have any feedback on how to make it more useful to you and others._

# **My role**

I am here to ensure our team succeeds and you are in a safe environment where you feel comfortable sharing your opinions, feel good, and have good opportunities to grow. 

I want you to improve your skills, grow your career, enjoy your work, and believe in our company's and our team's mission. I'll be here to help you through this journey. 

I am here to ensure our team is aligned and pointed in the same direction. But I can't do it alone; I need your support and commitment.

I am here to ensure that we get what we need from others and that others get what they need from us.

I can be very flexible. My leadership style is fluid. I will focus on what the team needs at the moment to be successful, but I can't focus on everything at the same time. I will always inform you what I'm optimizing for.

# **What do I value most?**

**Trust** : I will involve you in as many decisions as I can. But sometimes, I need to act fast. I expect you to trust that I will make the best decision with the information and resources I have, as I will trust you regarding the decisions you make. Clear, direct, and fast communication with the people affected is essential. 

**Transparency** : Be transparent with me. It makes my life easier, and I'll do the same. It doesn't mean I'll share everything, but I'll share all I can. And I'll also be direct and transparent if I can't share something. 

**Respect** : A safe environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and respects each other is a must-have for me. There's no stupid question.

**Accountability and Responsibility** : I like to work with people who own their work. If your responsibilities are unclear, let me know, and we can agree on them. 

**Proactivity and Autonomy** : Don't wait. If you need something, find a solution. If you need help, please ask. It is better to apologize than to ask for permission. 

**Commitment & Collaboration** : We are different people, and we will disagree. But once we decide on something as a team, it is really important to have everyone committed to it. We succeed and fail together. A team is strong when we put all our effort into a shared goal.

**Feedback: **  Feedback is crucial for me to grow and improve. Expect direct and candid feedback from my side. I expect the same from your side. Bring it when things are still small. Please don't wait for it to become a big problem. 

# **My Expectations**

**Please don't wait for our 101s to communicate something urgent or provide feedback.**  I'm always open to jump into a quick call if necessary. Feel free to send messages, too.

If we fail, we find a solution together.  **No finger-pointing. ** Let's focus on solving the issue.  **Clear communication and status with the people involved are crucial.**  

If you have more experience,  **I expect you to give space to others to grow and contribute.**  Don't always be the first to speak.

**If unavailable, communicate it to the team. Remember to update your status. ** Be available when we align on it. It is imperative during urgent situations. 

**Done means that we don't need to do anything else regarding a specific topic. ** Waiting for input isn't done. Finishing only your part of the job isn't done. 

**Only work when you're supposed to work.**

**Don't hold any information to yourself. ** We should be able to operate even if someone is unavailable. Emergencies can happen.

**If you have a conflict, try to solve it with the people involved.**  But let me know. I need context in case you need to escalate. If you don't feel safe/comfortable addressing it, you can always bring it to me, and we can think about it together. But you must know that my first approach will be to empower you to do it by yourself (when possible).

**Your growth is your interest.** You must own it. I'm here to help and provide opportunities. Growing goes beyond your current role expectations.

# **101s**

**If you're my direct report**

Our 101s are NOT for me to get status about your work or doing company updates. This time is yours, and you are responsible for leading it. It means you should define and prioritize the agenda. Finding clarity can be one of our first topics if you don't know how to use this time. Every two weeks, I have this time entirely dedicated to you. Sometimes, depending on the circumstances, it can happen in different cadencies. But it should be something we mutually agree on.

**If you're NOT my direct report**

Feel free to book 101s in my calendar. It can be just for us to connect, understand how to collaborate, or talk about a specific topic. Please let me know the topic in advance if you have something specific in mind. It can make this conversation more productive for both of us.

# **Personality quirks**

I don't like when people constantly interrupt one another and don't let them finish what they are saying. But I recognize that sometimes I add too much backstory. If so, feel free to interrupt and say that extra information is not necessary.

Sometimes, I can be (very) late in meetings. This isn't because I'm Brazilian (we are famous for bad time management); instead, when I'm deeply focused, I can't even see my notifications. If you have suggestions on how I can improve, please let me know.

I laugh... (very) loudly, and I can't/won't change.

I'm very optimistic. You'll often see me smiling. Don't think it is about toxic positivity. I can see when something won't work, but I will still try to find a light way to deal with it. 

I like to learn about you and share about me (not necessarily work-related). 

You might see me cry if I'm thrilled and proud about your success and growth and the things we achieved together as a team.

I'm an introvert, but I like hugs.