# Rylan Iredale's Manager Readme **Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition at Thinkific Labs, Inc** # Motivation for this document COVID-19 has changed the way we work, interact, socialize and build relationships. Working in a hyper-growth environment, change is constant. Feedback - whether that be about process, personal development, total fuck-ups, etc - is absolutely critical to individual and therefore team success. But feedback is hard. At the root of this document is a hope that you walk (or swivel?) away with a better understanding of me. Who am I? How do I make decisions? How can you approach me with a question/problem/challenge and get the best response? Taking the time to understand me, as I hope I do you, is the first step to building the strongest possible working relationship imaginable. So thank you! 🙏  # My role To help our team (Thinkific) assemble and scale a team of world-class folks that can build a platform to support entrepreneurial educators around the world. I hope to do this by adding to our learning culture and fostering a safe environment for folks in our team (People) to think, create, test, fail, learn - all with a focus to deliver amazing impact.  If you are ever ensure what  **_your_** role is - which may change rapidly as we scale -  **please** don't wait to talk. Expectations should be absolutely clear at all times.  # What do I value most? Questions that are followed up by proposed solutions. I feel like I should write that out with chalk on a blackboard one hundred times like Bart Simpson because I don't know if there is anything else I value more..  I value curiosity more than answers. I love "why do we do this?" more than "how do we do this?" - because the way we're doing it is almost certainly not the way we will be (or should be) tomorrow. But more than just naive curiosity, proposed plans/paths/solutions turns this question from an ask **to a conversation. ** We can start to rebuild and move to action faster and I will always trust your judgement and allow our team to fail fast. So if you ask me a question, don't be frustrated if I ask for your opinion first. I have my own - but I'm excited to build off what you present first. If you're totally stumped though, don't hold on to the question for too long - let's get it answered and move on. Another one is around the corner. As for Thinkific Values - **Give A Shit** is the clear cut winner and one I hold personally as well. We could be doing so many different things with our days; I want to know that everyone in our team **cares ** about the work we do. There are only two reasons why something doesn't get done - either the person doesn't know how to do it (therefore, teachable) or they aren't motivated to figure it out. If everyone gives a shit (cares), then we can focus on building the plan to acquire the skills to get shit done! Lastly - I value humour. Again, we can be doing almost anything with our time, but we choose to wake up everyday and hustle hard at Thinkific. Our days become our lives - and some of them are tougher than others, but most of them deserve time for a good chuckle ;)  # My Expectations **Give what you can, take what you need. ** We all work at home. We have an unlimited vacation policy. We all have lives, families, hobbies, health, etc. The lines between on and off are completely gone. Therefore, this is critical for **you** to drive and define for yourself.  Thinkific (and all hyper-growth orgs) have SO much opportunity for individual growth, but also more work than will ever get done. SO. Give what you can (and want) - this could be pushing to work on an awesome project, working longer hours to learn something new, raise your hand to see where to help. But equally as important, take what you need to have a full and healthy life outside of Thinkific. At the end of the day, I am going to trust you to find that balance and that line - and know I am always here to chat through anything to help you define that line.  **Focus on impact, not time in seat. ** Expanding on the above point - if you're hitting expectations and it takes you 4 hours a day; holy shit tell me how and also power to you! Either take that time to rest, focus on other priorities in your life or take on a project that will excel your career. The big thing though - is defining **impact**. That's what will get rewarded and it can be hard to figure out - so come talk to me if ever unsure. Easy bet is look at OKRs; but that's not the only way.  **Drive your journey and ask for directions. ** Lastly, this is your journey. If Thinkific was a rapidly expanding city, with opportunities in various neighbourhoods - imagine you are in the drivers seat. Keep on recruiting amazing new town folk, connect with others for the opportunities to build our community and you know where I live, so never be afraid to ask for directions! # Check-ins || 1x1s || Quarterly Reviews **Check-in** - these are biweekly, 30 min meetings to dive into roadblocks, coaching conversations & tactical issues. We're always busy - so this is deliberate time carved out to ensure we connect to work through the day to day problems we face.  **1x1** - these are biweekly, one hour meetings for us to touch on everything we would in a check-in, but also more time to pair work together on a project, check in on development plans/goals, work through larger pieces of feedback (both ways) and just connect.  **Quarterly Reviews - ** this is a more formal chance for us to dive deeper into development plans/goals, feedback (potentially 360), talk about progress and potentially looking at promotions/compensation, etc. It is also to help decide personal OKR projects and setting goals for the quarter to come.  _ **NOTE: ** Any and all of the types of conversations listed above can be had at anytime. Pop a meeting in my calendar - no agenda needed - and we'll talk through anything that you're seeking clarity on. __The fixed times are to ensure we **have** these conversations, but the cadence can change depending on what works best._ # About Me Random facts - I live in Kits with my wife (Mona) and dog (Indie). I play in a band (Kayaks) and music has always been an avenue for creativity, connection and a sense of purpose outside of work. I have a cabin on Mayne Island and value family and close friends. I love sports (watching/playing) and have been getting into yoga/stretching as a way to ensure I don't literally break from having an office job. I always assume positive intent and trust (almost to a fault) and love reading non-fiction. So hit me with a good work book recommendation or tee time and I'm all over it!