When you send me an email… Managing Your Expectations
“All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.”
- Gandalf Lord of the Rings – Return of the King
Who? – Every email that comes to Jim@BrewerLeadership.com I read personally. Lillian Admin@BrewerLeadership.com has access to my email as well for the occasional timely response when I am not available. Lillian will also send bulk emails out to clients or interested parties under my email.
When? – I don’t treat email as urgent, there are days I won’t read email during my workday. It may be a couple of days before I reply and I rarely reply over a weekend. When we reply instantly or send an email over the weekend it sends a message to those we work with to do the same. Note, you might get an email back right after you sent one. Consider it a fluke. Don’t expect it will happen again.
If it is urgent, text or call me at 972-467-4463. I reply to text messages throughout the day and calls within 48 hours. To set up a call or meeting with me, visit Let’s Talk.
What? or Getting Things Done - I am a big David Allen, Getting Things Done fan. After reading the book, I worked with David at an event in DC. Then I hired their consultants to work with me and our team. As we became INC #9, then INC#1 the next year, we would not have made it if I did not get better at Getting Things Done.
At the beginning of each day I act on, reply to, or send to the future every email in my inbox. I use Spark Email app. Very effective tool! If I don’t have an action to take right then or in the future, I will not respond. When I do have a future action beyond sending an email, I get it out of my head into what David calls a “trusted system.” Your head is a lousy place to keep things. My current “trusted system” is Things 3.
Reply-all and Reply - I reply-all only when absolutely necessary. Reply-all creates more junk email than any other source. I reply only when needed and will not reply with “thank you”. Consider yourself thanked!
Most importantly… Why this matters
Email is not really an effective form of communication. True communication happens in person. Listen first, and express feelings and emotions in face-to-face meetings.