🤓 A Little User Manual for Matt MacInnis
Loosely based on this
Grew up in Canada, moved to the US for college. Studied engineering, worked at Apple for seven years, mostly in marketing. I lived in China twice, and speak Mandarin pretty well (still study it!). In 2009, I started a company called Inkling, and sold it in 2018. I joined Rippling in 2019 as COO because of the immense promise of this business. I have a husband and a daughter, both cute.
I love working with people who…
People like this absorb problems in the organization like activated charcoal; conversely, people who avoid the tough stuff spew problems into the space around them for these people to catch. I try to hold myself to these standards.
I want to debate things, and I hope that we all take well-founded positions in our debates. However, it’s hugely important that pride and ego not blind us to new information, no matter how inconvenient. I try hard to keep an open mind about every possibility, and hope you will too.
Sometimes, it’s really painful to do the right thing, such as proactively notifying customers of an issue they may not otherwise notice, or giving someone difficult feedback when they’re already bruised. But I want everyone I work with to always do the right thing — no matter how painful. And I will try to be a force for good in that regard, too.
I struggle to give positive feedback because it makes me feel a little uncomfortable. I recognize this, and I invite you to call me on it, especially if you don’t know where you stand. When I do give feedback, I try hard to make it useful.
When I am in get-stuff-done mode, I am sometimes impatient with friendly office banter. I forget to ask how you’re doing, and I bristle at attempts to ask me those questions. Usually, I like to jump into the matters at hand quickly and directly. If I do that, please don’t take it personally; it’s likely that care a lot about what you’re working on, and I want to get to the meat quickly.
I think a little more slowly and deeply than some people, which is a blessing and a curse. One side effect is that when I’m forced to think on the spot, I may end up postponing difficult but important conversations. I may brush things aside so that I can buy time to prepare my thoughts.
For conversations that are in my wheelhouse, I am quick to engage and respond. But for tough feedback conversations, for areas I’m not familiar with, or for areas where I lack context, I need to prepare. It is generally ineffective to surprise me with conversation topics, so providing me with context and time to think/process will help me be more effective.
I sometimes use crass humor to deflect discomfort, or to build a sense of camaraderie. While humor in the office is generally good, if I say something stupid, please call me on it — or give me googly eyes to let me know I’m being foolish. One management framework calls this the “mischievous derailer,” and the name is appropriate.
I can be guilty of overthinking things. I can get caught up in process or approach, instead of staying focused on the quality of output. You can help me by saying, “Matt, you might be overthinking this. I think the answer is probably just X.”
I am generally clear-minded and explicit about my priorities. My job is to achieve my priorities. Your job is to achieve your priorities. Our time together, in any context, is best spent at the intersection of our respective priorities. I therefore very much appreciate knowing what your priorities are when we talk.
This is a fast-moving startup, which means I have a lot of stuff that I’m doing directly, i.e., I’m also a maker. If I have my time blocked as “No Meetings,” please do not schedule meetings. If you really, really need time with me during those windows, please ask — but the bar will be high. :)
Please have only the meetings we need, and please ensure those meetings are productive. Always start with an answer to the question, “What are we trying to accomplish, and how will we know we got there?”
If we work together, then I want to contribute to your growth. And I invite you to participate in mine. I won’t hold back, and welcome career and development conversations.
What’s missing above? Or where am I lying to myself and others? :) All feedback is welcome. The goal is to accelerate our collaboration and improve the effectiveness of our partnership.