The different types of people you work with
I’m always reminded how much I trust someone when I’m emailing them with a request. I pay attention to my mind right after I click send. Over 15 years of working with a broad spectrum of folks—junior to senior, energetic to passive, people who suck the life out of me, and people who epitomise batteries included—I’ve bucketed them into five types.
Forward & Archive
You know you’re working with this type of person when a problem lands on your desk, and you don’t even bother with the details. You don’t think about how to solve it because you know exactly who will—and they’ll do it better than your half-baked idea. So you just forward it, add a couple of words of thanks, and move on. That’s a Forward & Archive type of person. You feel bulletproof working alongside people like this.
Send & Archive
You’ve found a problem, dug into the weeds, and identified a solution that needs action. You know exactly who to trust with it, so you write it up and send it over. You’re absolutely certain they’ll get it done—promptly, to a high standard, and without cutting corners. No need for follow-up; it’s done. In your mind, the issue is already resolved, and you’re free to move on. That’s a Send & Archive type of person.
Send & Verify
You send the task over, and you know this person will not forget. However, the risk is they’ll accept some internal barriers, allow limitations, or tweak parts of the ask to make it easier to complete. Because of this, you need to stay close to ensure no dilution of your original intent. The changes they make are often well-intended—to facilitate speed or avoid obstacles—so you sympathise, but you still need to be in the loop. This is a Send & Verify type of person; you set a reminder to follow up.
Send & Request Updates
You don’t doubt this person can do what you’re asking, but you have open questions about their other priorities, focus, work rate, or diligence. Ultimately, you’re not yet convinced of their process for getting important stuff done. So you set a schedule of follow-ups, whether through weekly syncs or async updates, to ensure progress is substantial and the scope is maintained.
Send & Intervene So Much You May As Well Do It Yourself
It’s tempting to put all the blame on the recipient here, but this one is actually on you for a few reasons. If they’re just incompetent, the question becomes: “mate, why are you even asking this person you don’t trust at all to do this?” You should probably figure that one out. More often, though, you do trust them, but you don’t really know what you want yet. If you can’t accurately describe what you’re after, the temptation is to give broad strokes and then stick your beak in every few days with new ideas. In practice, you’re trying to request something you haven’t yet figured out. Sometimes the best way out is to solve it yourself the first time.
And that’s it, I try my best to be #1 and #2 for those around me, I know I occasionally sadly dip into the lower levels, especially in areas I don’t understand or don’t feel comfortable in, but I’m working on it. And you’re probably the same :)