Guiding Principles
  • Focus on speed to learn what delights customers. I’ve spent much time establishing and advocating for our build operating principles. If you want to know how I operate, that’s an excellent place to start.
  • Be customer-obsessed. Building products customers love requires spending time with them. As a product leader, you can excel at every other skill, but if you don’t know our customers, it will be like playing an instrument that is out of tune. There is no substitute for regularly speaking with customers.
  • Clear writing is clear thinking. Concise writing is better. I recommend reading and applying Writing Without Bullshit.
  • Outcomes over the process. I care a lot more about the outcomes we create for our customers and business than the process we took to get there. I’ve seen high-performing teams with rigid or loose processes; the most important thing is having a clear goal.
  • Be in the details. Embrace a “go and see” attitude. Use the product yourself and understand its flaws. Dig into support tickets to know why customers aren’t happy. Spend time with the team shipping to understand what takes the most time.
  • Escalate cleanly. Conflict and disagreement at work are expected and reasonable. Practice clean escalations; avoid playing telephone.
  • The opposite of stepping on toes is dropping balls. If you see something that isn’t up to snuff, say something. It’s better to risk offending a colleague than it is to leave the customer in a rough spot.
  • Early alignment breeds late-stage speed and autonomy. Overemphasize building alignment early. While it requires more investment upfront, it later leads to momentum, autonomy, and speed. This applies to both projects and relationships.
My Strengths
  • I have deep customer and product knowledge. I’ve been at Zapier since 2016, and over that time, I’ve accumulated a lot of knowledge about our product, the organization, and our customers. That helps me connect the dots across our strategy and initiatives. I can get into the details or zoom out pretty quickly. I encourage you to tap into this.
  • I’m a good listener. This helps me build empathy for our customers and our teams. Channelling that empathy is what makes me effective in my role.
  • I like writing. Given the time and space, I’m good at using writing to clarify and align people around a strategy or vision. I’ve helped to write our company strategy and numerous initiative strategies. Ask me for feedback on your writing.
  • I’m adaptable. I like and embrace change. I want to try new things. When presented with new information, I’ll change my mind. This serves me well since change is a constant at Zapier. If you’re struggling with change, ask me for help.
  • I’ve got experience managing performance. I enjoy working with managers to set a high-performance bar. This can include working through challenging performance situations or discussing how to get your top talent to operate at their full potential.
  • I'm a team player. People tell me I’m a good collaborator. I value winning as a team more than winning by myself. I tend to create a lot of connections across the organization. I love learning about new parts of the business.
My Nuances / Things I’m Working On
  • I should delegate more. I will default to volunteering to do something, even when I shouldn’t. I’m working at more completely delegating accountability. Say something if you see a spot where I could delegate more.
  • I’m sometimes disorganized. I admire people who are great at organization, but I’m not one of them. If you want help or something else from me, ask for it, if possible, with a timeline attached to it. You’ll get more consistent follow-up if you also tag/include @katiewhiteside when you reach out to me.
  • I can come across as spontaneous. Once a decision is made, I like to move quickly. However, I sometimes fail to recognize that others will need more time with change or that I’ve created more ambiguity than folks are comfortable with. If you see me doing this, ask me to slow down and explain the why behind the change.
  • I’m introverted and prefer async processing. I am energized by periods of uninterrupted focus time. I do best when I have a chance to consume information async. I’ll emerge inspired and energetic. This also happens for me in small groups of 2-3 people (e.g. pairing on a project together). A lot of time in more extensive group settings is draining, and I need time to recharge.
  • I take time to reflect before I take action. I like to consider various options, read the analysis of a problem, and spend time writing to develop clear thoughts. If you want my input on a decision, taking me through your thought process is helpful.

How I Work

  • Product Reviews are one of the primary rituals I use to help understand the details of what each of the product teams is shipping and learning. They’re a chance for me to learn, help drive alignment, accelerate our delivery, and sharpen our strategy.
  • Meetings: I try to stack my meetings back to back to maximize longer blocks of focus time. Prior to booking a meeting, try a form of async communication. A Loom or Slack message works great. Reach out to @katiewhiteside to book a meeting. Ideally, include an agenda or pre-read to make the most of our time together.
  • Working Hours: I typically work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m Pacific Time. Message me any time regardless of Slack status, time, or day of the week. I tend not to answer during evenings or weekends. Likewise, if I send you a message when you are busy or offline after hours, I don't expect an immediate response.
  • Asking For Feedback: When asking for feedback, be clear about the state of the work and what kind of feedback you’re looking for. Give me a deadline for when you need the input. I love seeing early, unfinished work with clear direction on what kind of feedback you’re looking for. I dislike it when people wait till their work is polished before sharing it and have vague requests for “any feedback.”
  • Light on Process: I’ve been part of teams that flourished under tight processes and rigid structures and teams that flourished under very loose processes. As such, you won’t see me being very prescriptive about what process to use. The main thing I emphasize is a continuous improvement towards better outcomes for customers and the business. I don’t like it when it seems we spend more time on the process than the outcomes.

For My Directs

1-on-1 Meetings

Every week, we will have a one-on-one (1:1) meeting, Which is one of the most important meetings I will have all week. But this is your meeting. It's your opportunity to bring anything and everything you want to talk about to the table. After we catch up, my first question will almost always be, "What's at the top of your mind this week?" Our best 1:1s will be when you bring the most significant problem or challenge you face that week.

I will default to coaching (asking lots of questions and listening). But there may be times when you want advice or feedback. Let me know when you need or want that more than coaching. The 1:1 is primarily about one thing: your growth. Topics will likely include:

  • Coaching or mentoring through specific situations or skill
  • Career development
  • Progression against personal goals
  • Feedback for one another
  • Sharing context on operations or strategy

Feedback

As for performance feedback, I'll do my best to give you quick and actionable feedback — both the good and the constructive — as often as possible. Whenever I provide feedback, it will be all about helping you succeed. If you want more feedback, just ask. I’m good at giving constructive feedback when I know the areas you want to grow.

Feedback is a two-way street! As your manager, I want your feedback on my management skills. Where am I doing well, and where do I need to grow? One of the most challenging things about being a people manager is the lack of feedback. Please help me grow by providing me with feedback.

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