When should one check email and how frequently? I find it works best for me to start the day with my email, respond to what I can, and log the things that need follow-up on my to do list or in an app for this purpose. The Muse recently published a list of the best to-do list apps based on your personality type or work environment. If you are unsure of your type, a simple assessment can open up your productivity with simple awareness.
After logging my non-immediate responses, I can breathe a short sigh of relief and start to work on accomplishing the tasks of the day. For others, it may work better to use the first hour of their day to accomplish something on their list or plan for the day before digging into email. You’ll have to make this choice based on the demands of your work, while also taking into consideration when your energy levels are optimal for productivity.
I suggest that you plan and even schedule time for focused work that coincides with the times of day that your energy levels and focus are at their highest. Sometimes things are going to arise and conflict with your schedule, and that’s ok. Just get back on schedule as soon as you can. If you have team members or colleagues who need to reach you during your focused time, let them know how they should contact you outside of email, perhaps by phone or text message. Be sure to give them an idea of the types of things about which you wish to be interrupted and the types of things that can and should wait.
Articles I'm Reading
Quotable: My INTERVIEW WITh ASAE
“While flu season typically peaks in February, this year it’s already been bad, and many are grappling with the common cold. There may even be someone in your office coughing right now. With workers breathing communal air, it’s a good time to look at policies that can help keep your office as healthy as possible during the cold and flu season.
Mary Ellen Brennan, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, founder of MEBrennan Consulting, said association policies can influence behavior that optimizes employee health.
While usually done earlier in the season, even at this late date, offering employees a free flu shot helps. “Employees appreciate having that ability to get the flu shot and not have to pay $30 for it,” Brennan said.
Employers can also provide some basic education about reducing flu spread. “In the past, when there were really bad flu outbreaks, we would post reminders about handwashing and things like that,” Brennan said.
Read more on Associations Now: Flu Season is Here: Tips to Minimize its Impact on Your Office.
CEO Performance evauations, IMPORTANT METRICS
Key to this are role scorecards. These define the core responsibilities and success metrics for each role in the company. With good role scorecards, management becomes much easier and you can ensure alignment across the organization.
Typically, one of the hardest scorecards to develop is for the CEO. As the head of the company it’s hard not to put everything on your scorecard. And this is the mistake I typically see CEOs making.
Read more on INC.com
Firing Without Progressive Discipline
“If there ever were a case where HR should call an employment defense attorney for advice and counsel, this is it,” said Sharon Bauman, partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in San Francisco. “These are exceptionally tricky cases, and, structured the wrong way, they can lead to significant liability. Each case must be determined on its own merits, considering your organization’s policies, past practices and the documented performance record in place. Proceed with caution and attempt to protect your internal written communications and drafts using the attorney-client privilege to minimize the chances of their being legally discoverable in litigation.”
Read more on SHRM.com
Further READING: 3 Executives Email Style Analysis
TOPCHRO analysed the email style of Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and CEO of Uber Dara Khosrowshahi.
Read more on TOPCHRO.