Email Sucks!

The Assistant Principal Podcast

#330: Email Sucks

Show Description:

Last week, Darrin Peppard and I went over some of our favorite time hacks. Towards the end of the show, we talked about email. Today, I’m devoting a whole show to email. I’ll share some tips and tricks, but how we manage email is as much about our mindset as it is the clock. As we get going, I want you to seriously play with an idea: what if email went away? What would your leadership and life be like?

Celebrations:

Recognizing the fragility and impermanence of this life

The Big Idea

My history with email:

· 1988: no such thing

· 1993: first “real” computer in my room

· 1999: Few emails each day as district EC Coordinator

· 2006: PC for online program

· 2018: HE exit leads to lack of email

· 2025: the slow creep

Take what you want from today’s show…

· Be serious in playing with the ideas

· Consider what is realistic

· Push the boundary

What if the principal did not respond to email?

Priority management versus time management:

1. Turn off alerts; email is not an instant communication tool! If email is being used for time-sensitive communications, then it is being misused.

2. Don’t respond to “urgent” emails via email. Pick up the phone. At the end of the call, tell the person to call you next time it is urgent.

3. Teach and condition others regarding reasonable response times.

4. Do not answer email outside of business hours! If you need to work on email at off times, use an autoresponder to send out replies during working hours. This is critical for conditioning and teaching people to use email wisely.

5. Don’t look at email after work hours. If you must, then adhere to the following:

a. Only specific times

b. Only when you are in a specific location (like a desk, not your couch)

c. Only from certain people

6. Stop caring about your inbox. Everyone gets too much email. Many people just don’t respond to 90% of what they get and they don’t care anymore. You can join them.

7. Post in a prominent area where you do your email, a note that says “If I spent 10 minutes less on email each day, I would invest that time doing…” and fill in the blank. Read it every day, multiple times.

Was going to call this show “Email Time Hacks” but…

Summarizing (The big takeaway)

Email isn’t as important as you think it is.

Sponsorship:

I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…

Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12.

IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.

And IXL doesn’t stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more.

It’s no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.

Close

· Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.

· You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/

· I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at [e-mail] or connect with me on LinkedIn.

· If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html

· Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.

· Remember the secret to good leadership:

o Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for others

o Be fully present

o Ask reflective questions

o And then just listen

o Don’t overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.

· Have a great rest of the week!

· Cheers!

Frederick’s Links:

Email: [e-mail]

Website: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting

Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a

The Strategic Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Email tips: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/email.html