User manual for Martin Underhill

It’s important to know what makes people tick, and what makes them comfortable. This user manual should give you an insight into how I work best.

Conditions I like to work in

I’m quite territorial, so in a shared office environment I like having my own desk
I like my work environment to be clutter-free and clean
A bit of noise is fine, but interruptions should be kept to a minimum
I am not interested in rank/grade unless to offer support, if I’m talking to with someone less grizzled than myself

I like to work a rough 8:30am to 4:30pm day, Monday to Friday
Sometimes I’ll take a longer lunch and catch up in the evening
Evenings and weekends are family time so all work communication channels are closed; by all means contact me, but I won’t see your message until the next working day

Slack is the best place to get hold of me for a chat through something as I prefer a (asynchronous if need be) written exchange where possible
Sometimes an audio or video call is the best way to do things, and these should be arranged via written message first
Don’t text or call me on my personal number unless it’s a personal issue or an emergency
I check my emails a couple of times a day at most and aim to respond within a few of days, so don’t email with anything that needs an urgent response

Public praise (directed at me) makes me uncomfortable
Feedback is sometimes awkward but should always be done face to face; if it is honest and direct, it will be received gratefully
Don’t worry about offending me: I’m pretty thick skinned, and besides, learning is what life is about and feedback accelerates growth

Sustained, uninterrupted concentration time
After years of self reliance and risk-management as a small business owner, I need a real feeling of security from my employer, since employment means all my eggs are in one basket
A wee nudge is welcome if you’re in a rush for something and I haven’t responded as quickly as you’d’ve liked

Mixed messages – say what you mean!
Bluster; if you’re full of shit, I’ll know
I’m an introvert, so, while I really enjoy a good chat, extended periods of one to one or group interaction leave me drained
Saying ‘no’; I’m an agreeable giver but I know when to push back, even though it’s not easy for me
Lots of meetings
Unnecessary meetings
@channel and @here on Slack, which should be used mindfully
Attending out of work activities: two small children and no family nearby to ease the load makes these tricky

After doing what I do for so long I have a strong intuition for the right design
Sometimes, when on the spot, my Spidey-sense will tingle, but I won’t have an answer as to why something is an issue until I’ve gone away and had some alone time to think it through
When presenting, I don’t work well with pre-prepared notes, instead I prefer to have a framework to follow and ad-lib around each point
Everything I do is done with the best intentions; if you ever think otherwise, let’s have a chat, as it’s almost certainly a misunderstanding or some missing context
I have a real knack of seeing both sides of a problem
I am very open to being proved wrong
I’m happy to ask the ‘stupid’ question on behalf of my colleagues who might not be as comfortable putting themselves in the firing line
I’m an INFP-A personality type
I love an interesting fact!