My Enchiridion
Evidence from one of my favorite things
Last week I mused about having a user guide – as if I was a new game to be played.
But I am not a game.
What am I really looking for?
I really want to share what I want you to know about me and what I need to be at my best.
The next question is what should I call this?
After further discussion and reflection, I believe each person should decide what they call this magical document. Magical? Yes, I truly think this would be magical.
Luckily there are lots of options to choose from… or you can make something up.
I searched for synonyms for “user guide” and here is what I found.
I might call it a guidebook, handbook, reference book or companion which provides important facts about the particular study of me. Or maybe it’s a manual or instructions for how I operate. I could choose my ABC’s or primer as an introduction to understanding how I work. No one could really know everything about me so I probably wouldn’t call it my bible. I like the idea of a vade mecum as something you would keep constantly at hand for consultation – who said Latin was dead?
My personal favorite is my enchiridion, a book containing essential information about me. I’m going to go with my enchiridion.
Now that we have that figured out, let’s dig into the essential information for my enchiridion.
You might ask where I found this essential information. I gleaned lots from personal experiences, and my reflections on various personality assessments taken over the years which gave me the words to describe those experiences (see below for my resources).
Here’s my enchiridion:
My name: Tammy Brimner (to help clarify I am not a Tamara)
My gender identity: she/her/hers
Family status: Married with three house plants (because everyone asks if we have children)
Citizenship: Canadian
Color: White
My professional background: BA in Communications and English
MA in Sociology
Certificate in Organizational Coaching
Role: Founder and President, TLB Creations Inc., since 2014
Primary contributions: curator, writer, photographer and leadership accompagnateur
Social battery recharge requirement: quiet, alone time
My favorite of the 5 senses: touch
My superpowers: wonder and discernment (my gift from Working Genius)
Preferred communication style: 1-on-1 conversations
Recognition preference: a personalized letter, email or text
Birthday celebration: Same as recognition preference (anywhere inside the months of June and July because I prefer birthday festivals)
My top two personal values: community and connection
Inspired by one-on-one conversations with clients and collaborators who are empowered to take action on their own and are hopefully moved forward with the results of my curating, wonder and discernment.
Frustrated at work by colleagues who:
need constant enablement
are inconsiderate and exploitative of others
refuse to get involve or make a decision
treat me with indifference or ignore me
My known blindspots:
I quickly weigh alternative paths and determine the best one. My natural ability to anticipate, play out different scenarios and plan ahead makes me an agile decision-maker. This ability can be interpreted as criticism to others who feel their own contributions have been devalued. Sometimes it actually leads to real criticism. (Cue a recent small group discussion after golf where one referenced the Pareto principle with regard to staff and my reaction was full-on disgust. I managed to redirect shortly after but not before the damage had been done. Ugh.)
I can make connections quickly inside my mind and don’t always explain my thought process by the time I release any information. (My husband often tells me to set the context before I tell a story. I told him if he was inside my mind he would see the context clearly ;))
I will overshare information. (I think it is my attempt to make a meaningful connection.)
N.B. All of this would be more apparent to me with me being more mindful.
Some of my favorite things:
Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux
Opening a brand new notebook
My camera
My piano
My ebike
My iphone (my life)
Shiba (important for nurturing my 5 senses)
Do you know me better now?
I actually know myself better now. And yes, it truly is magical to me.
Just a few more questions. Did I miss anything? Any other blind spots? Don’t hesitate to let me know.
What would you put in your enchiridion (or whatever you choose to call it)?
Resources which fueled my knowledge:
Rath, Tom. 2007. Strengths Finder 2.0. New York: Gallup Press.
Image: Tammy Brimner
