README files are the first thing we all look at when working with a new code base. A good README helps you hit the ground running, and often help you understand the principles behind the code base so you know how to best work with it.
The idea behind a Manager’s README is the same. Like an owner’s manual for a manager, it gives the reader a recipe for how to best work with you.
Manager READMEs have gained a bit of traction recently with managers from Netflix, Slack, Etsy and Shopify using them. Like all popular things, they have also attracted their fair share of controversy.
In this talk Colin Chauvet share how he introduced Manager READMEs at Atlassian. What worked, what didn’t, how to get started and how to avoid coming across as a self-serving jerk!