Once upon a time I got a new boss. And during her first week on the job, she did something no one had ever done before: she told me about her work style, what’s important to her, and how she likes to see things handled. This was especially important as I worked in a different office and would not be visible to her most of the time. The details of her preferences don’t matter. What matters is that she taught me to think about my work style and expectations, and explain them to my own employees. The goal: our mutual success.
If someone asked you to describe your work style, expectations and preferences, what would you say? Your description could include preferences for email and phone response times, meeting protocols, criteria for escalating a problem to you. Here is an example from a real life email from a VP to a group of staff from a remote location who were reassigned to him: “The best way to reach me is by email, and that is my preferred mode of communication. I’m a 24/7 guy, so I do expect you to be checking your Blackberry evenings and on weekends. If the issue is really important, I do want a reply.”
That’s pretty clear.
Some people are quite adept at “reading” others and figuring out how to work with (or around) them. Not everyone can, though, and it’s just plain faster if you tell your staff how to work effectively with you. Not only will it normalize the idea of talking about workstyles, it will require you to take stock and assess your habits and behaviors. You might find that enlightening.