We’ve all taken time to figure someone out.
How they prefer to work. What motivates them. What shuts them down.
And we’ve all had moments where we wished people just came with instructions.
Turns out, they can.
A Personal User Manual is a simple, one-page guide to help others understand how we operate.
Think of it as a “How to Work With Me” cheat sheet.
A candid and helpful snapshot of preferences, work style, and quirks.
What to Include in a Personal User Manual?
The personal user manual shares things like:
- Your communication style
- How you like to receive feedback
- Your typical work rhythms and energy highs/lows
- Pet peeves or productivity killers
- Values that guide your decisions
- Self-Assessment results – CliftonStrengths, MBTI, etc.
- What others should know to help you do your best work
The document can help remove friction on teams and create clarity.
Why It Matters
Most workplace tension is caused by the little misunderstandings that pile up. Like:
- One person prefers Slack, while another wants face time.
- Someone likes to brainstorm out loud; someone else needs time to reflect.
- Feedback that feels “helpful” to you might feel “harsh” to someone else.
User manuals help teams skip the guesswork and get to doing great work together.
They’re especially powerful when:
- You’re starting a new job or onboarding a teammate
- You manage people (or are managed by someone!)
- You’re collaborating on a project with tight deadlines
- You’re in a remote or hybrid work environment
- You want to show up with more self-awareness and intentionality
Ideas on How to Summarize Your Approach
There’s no one-size-fits-all, but here are some examples:
Category Examples
Work Style “I’m a morning thinker.” “I thrive with clear deadlines.”
Communication “Best reached via email. I batch replies daily.”
Feedback “I appreciate direct feedback—but ideally in private.”
Collaboration “I like to start with the big picture, then move into details.”
Boundaries “I don’t respond to messages after 6PM.”
Motivators “Solving problems energizes me. Repetitive work drains me.”
Fun Facts “Coffee is my love language. I ask a lot of questions.”
How to Get Started
Reflect: Think about what helps you thrive and what drives you crazy. You might even ask colleagues, “What’s something you’ve learned about working with me?” You can consider using information from assessments you’ve taken like CliftonStrengths, Enneagram, and Myers Briggs.
Choose a Format: You can keep it simple in a Google Doc or make it visual with Canva or Notion. You’ll find templates online to help you get started. Just do an online search for “Personal User Manual templates” or “How to Work with Me template”.
Share It: Add it to your onboarding docs, portfolio, or even your LinkedIn profile. Most importantly, invite others to create one, too. The magic is in mutual understanding with those you work with. You could even consider sharing with family and friends to provide them with more insight.
Summary
We invest time getting to know tools, systems, and software. But what are the most powerful tools in any workplace? People. When we understand each other better, everything flows more smoothly.
So, invest a little time to write your user manual. It can help your career, your team, and yourself.
Your Turn
Have you ever created a Personal User Manual?
Do you think this tool would be helpful for you and your team?
What insights would be important for the page to include in your organization?