A WorkStyle manual
Joy in Chaos
I like to hunt for the invisible forces, often emotive, cultural, economic — that push and pull on the problems worth solving. Give me a clear outcome in mind, a means to doodle or mind-map, and someone to think aloud with, and I'll find what others miss.
B
brian kalma
workstyle.app/briankalma
Ch 01 — How You Work
Communication
Morning time
You want morning Brian. Morning Brian is at his sharpest.
Meeting Agendas
I like meetings to have a purpose and a designed flow. I may decline an invite without an agenda or goal attached to it.
Writing style
I like to write as I talk. I try to be brief and to the point.
outcomes
I really appreciate when people communicate with outcomes in mind.
synchronous communication
I much prefer tools that lend themselves to synchronous communication when it comes to conversing about important topics, but if there is no urgency or if there is a simple non-timely thing that needs to be communicated then a concise slack messaging convo will work.
Energy & Focus
When the going gets tough, the tough remain steady and focused.
What drains me
Large meetings without an agenda, people talking over each other, CYA mindset, passive aggressiveness, raised voices and loud noises, egos and excuses, lack of clearly defined goals or expected outcomes.
What I need
Mutuality in all interactions. I do well when leaders recognize their actions will be mirrored by their peers.
We're all ingredients
I think of us as ingredients in a recipe—everyone matters, and how we work together is what makes the end result.
Ch 02 — Working With You
How to Read Me
I need 5-10 minutes between back to back meetings
My energy has peaks and valleys, and I need alone time to recharge after draining meetings.
If I am exhibiting forgetfulness it usually means I am feeling the effects of stress
Stress shows up as me forgetting things, so flag it if you notice a pattern.
If I exhibit micromanaging behavior it usually means I am feeling the effects of lack of temporary trust & security
Tell me if you feel I'm micromanaging—it signals I'm working through trust or security concerns, not a reflection on you.
I will overuse the Poodle emoji 🐩
This is just my quirk—don't read into it!
My Rough Edges
I get bothered by things like large meetings without agendas, people talking over each other, and CYA commentary.
I'm working on speaking up constructively when I see these patterns instead of letting frustration build.
Raised voices, loud noises, and passive aggressiveness get under my skin.
I do better when I name what I need early and give others the benefit of the doubt.
I struggle when there's a lack of clearly defined goals or expected outcomes, or when I see egos and excuses taking over.
I'm learning to ask clarifying questions up front and to separate the behavior from the person.
What People Misunderstand
They misread me as calm, but I am chaotic inside
People may think I do not care, but I care immensely.
How I Give & Receive Feedback
How I receive it
I appreciate as close to real time feedback as possible, and I respond well to feedback that is communicated in a constructive manner (vs blame or assumptive, etc). For example, tell me what I said or did (the way a video recorder would play it back w/o any judgment), then tell me how it made you feel and what need of yours was not being met (or was being met).
When it's sensitive
I like feedback communicated verbally to me if sensitive in nature.
How I Signal I Need Support
Forgetfulness means I'm stressed
If I'm exhibiting forgetfulness, it usually means I'm feeling the effects of stress.
Micromanaging means I need trust and security
If I'm micromanaging, tell me directly—it usually means I'm feeling the effects of lack of temporary trust and security.
Ch 03 — What You're Made Of
My Values
Authenticity & vulnerability
I appreciate living my values both in and out of the office, and being authentic and vulnerable is something I will rarely bend from.
Honesty & integrity in communication
I communicate with honesty and integrity because my personal core values and work values are remarkably aligned.
Simplify through process
I strive to do more with less and simplify through process—it's how I put respect for people's time into action.
Empathy first, fostering mutuality
I strive to put empathy first and foster mutuality in all my relationships, which might surprise people who expect a more transactional approach.
What I'm Proud Of
What I'm proud of
Proud of the time at Zappos that we discovered that if a user had an imperfect first time experience that was our best chance to make them a customer for life.
Why it mattered
It changed how we thought about customer relationships — turning problems into opportunities.
The Compliment That Stuck
"You are the special sauce!"
Best Advice I've Gotten
"Find your next manager, not your next company."
// // Jared Spool, when I was focused on the wrong thing
A Learning Moment
What happened
When an initiative I was passionate about failed, I realized my ideas are not as precious as I once thought.
What I learned
It was humbling.
Ch 04 — The Full You
Who Inspires Me
Who
People who can hear bad news, or get pushback, and remain so optimistic is inspiring.
What draws me
Seeing folks who tear up playbooks and do what feels right and follows the data inspire me, and I like the sense of disruption these folks have.
How I Show Appreciation
How I show it
I will compliment you when I know you did something incredible.
What it looks like
I will compliment you when I know you did something incredible.
All About Me
myers briggsINTPenneagram3w4human designManifesting GeneratordoshaVata-Pitta-Kaphaon repeatThe Doors, Weezer, The Beach Boys, RushplaylistSOUL KITCHEN, This is BK Dance Music
A fact
I don't buy into conventional thinking — I'd rather break apart widely accepted ideas and look at them from different angles.
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