[andersco]

My boss at my previous company created one of these with the intention of being “helpful”. It basically stated you should address me in this manner, use this form of communication etc. I asked him if he would be ok with me also creating a similar user manual telling him how I should be communicated with. He said it would be ok, as long as it did not contradict his user manual.

IMO, these seem to me to be a friendly way of dictating process to others.

[davidbauer]

Tongue-in-cheek title aside, I really do believe that it's helpful if a lot of people do write down some sort of user manual for themselves. These can be a great starting point for having conversations on how to best work together and spot potential areas of conflict in advance. In no way should these be seen as dictating the rules.

[gls2ro]

Regarding this, here is another perspective:

If you would be my manager or a person highly skilled in one area, I will probably try to not talk with you at all as much as possible.

Just as an example:

> Ask for help: I love giving input, but only if I know it can still make a difference.

So let's say I have an idea and I need some help. Do you I know that if I ask for your help you will make a difference. Maybe you will agree with me so there is no difference there to be made. Also further down you want me to find the proper time to ask for feedback: not too early and too late. Suddenly I need to be aware of you and the time when I should talk or not with you.

What do you think about this?

[karmelapple]

Based on the comments here, I don't think people are getting much cheekiness from the title. As I mentioned in another comment, it might be useful to change the name, since I think a lot of people are seeing "How to work with me" as a pretty direct command to "do these X things."

And I don't think you intend that :)

[davidbauer]

I didn't, no. I have now changed the title to hopefully better convey what I intend the document to be about.

[jimmyjazz14]

I probably wouldn't call it a "user manual" since that implies a list of the "correct" way to work with a person. Why not just call it a list of personal values (and preferences)?

[davidbauer]

Good point, thank you.