Every creator, thinker, and doer operates by a set of principles—some deliberate, some instinctual. These guiding beliefs shape how we approach problems, collaborate with others, and evolve in our work.
This is my personal instruction manual—a declaration of how I work, what I believe in, and the standards I hold myself to. It’s not a rigid doctrine, but a living guide that evolves as I do.
This page is inspired by Paolo Belcastro’s handbook. I think that if you have your own personal website, you should make one too.
Last updated: 20 February 2026.
Core principles
These are the foundational beliefs that drive my work and decision-making:
- I’m all about solving problems. Everything I do should lead to meaningful solutions, not just activity.
- I’ll never stop learning. Curiosity fuels growth, and I actively seek out new knowledge.
- I think laterally. Innovation happens when we think of ideas that may not be obtainable using only traditional step-by-step logic.
- I want to help others win. Whether colleagues, friends, or relatives—success is best when shared.
- I pay attention to details. Small things make a big difference. Precision matters.
- No task is beneath me. I’ll do what needs to be done, regardless of hierarchy or title.
- Outcomes over outputs. Work isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about real impact.
- Agility is key. Everything changes all the time, so adaptability is more valuable than rigid plans.
- I am data-informed, not data-driven. Data guides decisions, but human judgment refines them.
- I believe in high agency. The idea that, within constraints, there is almost always something we can influence.
- How I do my job and how I work are two separate concepts. Methods can evolve, but my principles remain.
- I am motivated by autonomy, mastery, and purpose. I thrive when I have the freedom to execute, the opportunity to improve, and the ability to contribute to something meaningful.
How I work
I value outcomes over outputs, so I prioritise deep work. I timebox tasks and avoid multitasking, because real progress comes from focused effort. But I also understand that everything changes all the time—so when life happens, I adapt.
I pay attention to details, ensuring that the small things don’t get lost in the bigger picture. No matter the task, nothing is beneath me—if it needs doing, I’ll do it.
I value work-life rhythm and tend to work during traditional work hours in the UK timezone.
At a very high level, my day-to-day typically involves a mix of planned and unplanned calls, working towards objectives I’m accountable for, and planning for future projects, objectives, initiatives.
My general Product process is described here. This is more about specifically how I work. I see how to do your job and how to work as two separate concepts.
Work style & strengths
I work best when there’s clarity of purpose—whether that’s a long-term vision or a short-term goal.
Some of my strengths:
- Strategic thinking. I see the big picture and connect dots others might miss. I’m a big believer in exercising lateral thinking, and focus on long-term impact rather than short-term gains.
- Pattern recognition. I identify trends, opportunities, and inefficiencies quickly, making sense of complexity.
- Execution. I move fast when needed, cutting through ambiguity to get things done.
- Precision. I care about details—not for the sake of perfection, but because small things compound into big differences.
- Persistence. If something is worth doing, it’s worth sticking with.
I recognise that the average day has a lot of microdecisions to take and I have a framework to help me navigate them.
Where I could use help
- I tend to dive into tasks instead of delegating.
- Sometimes I overcommit.
- I suck at celebrating wins.
On using data
One of my core principles is data-informed, not data-driven. I rely on data but I don’t believe in blindly following numbers. I balance data with context, experience, and intuition.
When making tough decisions, I prioritise:
- Long-term impact over short-term wins.
- Effectiveness over efficiency—doing the right things, not just doing things faster.
- Progress over perfection—we can iterate, but we need to move forward.
Feedback
I value feedback in all forms—about my work, performance, or the products, projects, services I manage. When in doubt, share it. More input leads to better decisions. Feedback is how we grow—I welcome it at volume and it doesn’t matter to me if it’s strongly or poorly formed.
If I mess up, I’d rather know sooner than later.
I have a habit to ensure all (or at least most!) feedback loops are closed by the end of the work week.
Meetings
- 1:1 meetings are valuable. Direct conversations help build relationships and alignment.
- I like larger meetings when they have a purpose, with an agenda at the beginning, and decision(s) or next steps at the end.
- Time is precious. Meetings should be structured, efficient, and lead to clear action.
Communication
Good communication is essential for both autonomy and purpose—ensuring people have the clarity and alignment they need to move forward without unnecessary friction.
Clarity, cultural awareness, and the high/low-context spectrum
I recognise that communication is nuanced. Different cultures express and interpret things differently. Assuming positive intent is my default. I keep in mind that:
- English is a second language for many (myself included), and phrasing may vary.
- Even within English-speaking cultures, words carry different meanings and connotations.
- Clear communication isn’t just about what I say—it’s about making sure the message lands.
I’ve worked across cultures that sit at different points on the high-context / low-context spectrum.
In low-context environments, communication is explicit. Expectations are stated clearly, disagreement is surfaced directly, decisions are documented and alignment is verbalised.
In high-context environments, meaning often lives between the lines. Tone, timing, hierarchy, relationship, they all carry weight. Disagreement may be expressed subtly. Alignment may exist without being explicitly restated.
Silence can indicate misalignment in one culture, and respect or reflection in another.
Being Italian by background, based in the UK, and working globally has shaped how I navigate this spectrum. Italian culture tends to lean more high-context. The global English-speaking professional environment leans more toward explicit clarity. Operating across both has forced me to develop range.
I naturally default to clarity and directness, especially in writing. I prefer to make expectations explicit rather than implied. When alignment is at stake, I value over-clarity over over-politeness.
At the same time, I pay attention to nuance. I look at context, incentives, relationships, and timing before forming conclusions. I try not to interpret directness as aggression, nor subtlety as indecision.
My goal isn’t to impose one communication style over another, but to bridge them, ensuring that what is intended is what is understood.
Alignment over noise
Good communication isn’t just about broadcasting; it’s about ensuring strategic alignment. People process information in different ways—some are listeners, some are readers, some are doers—so I adapt my approach to match the audience, even when it means communicating the same message more than once.
Asynchronous first
I default to asynchronous communication and favour chat platforms (e.g. Slack or Teams at work; WhatsApp or Telegram in personal life) over email. A few principles I follow:
- Pleasantries and the point, all in the first message, so that I can prioritise processing according to the big picture. No hello!
- Asynchronous protects people’s time. I never ask “Do you have 5 minutes“, but always “I’m trying to achieve X (context) but I encountered blocker Y (problem), when do you have 5′?“
- I use formulas to broadcast messages, e.g. SCRAP for tactical messages or STARE for storytelling.
- Default to public channels at work. Transparency is key unless there’s a reason to go private.
- Message anytime. I’ll respond when I can and I manage my own notifications / do-not-disturb cycles.
I try to be as efficient as possible with my inbox management and always aim at inbox zero.
Commitments & expectations
I believe in agility and adaptability, but I also believe in accountability.
- If I know I’ll miss a commitment, I communicate as soon as possible. Same as any other type of bad news.
- I expect the same in return—proactive updates prevent surprises.