Streamlining Email Communication In Teams

I managed to delegate 95% of my email inbox when running an 1,800 client accounting firm. Here are 11 tips to reinvent your team's approach to email: 1. Send less email You don't get responses to emails you never send. Email is for exception handling, not ongoing repetitive work. 2. Eliminate inbox propriety Email isn't your private space, it's the receiving bay of your business. Radical email transparency solves a host of email-related pains. Find an alternative home for internal sensitive messages. Btw if you want tips like this in your inbox each week, join 9,112 other accounting firm owners on the list here https://lnkd.in/gKY9X4M9 3. Delegate Email's no more immune to delegation than any other work. The fact 10% of messages require your touch isn't a reason to DIY 100% of it. 4. Batch the FYIs For everything that doesn't require your direct attention, have your team send you a once-daily FYI digest of everything you ought to know to keep you in the loop. 5. Delegate monitoring Don't leave email up just in case something spicy arrives. The fact a client may have an emergency they want you to bail them out of isn't a reason to let yourself to be perpetually distracted. Instead, make it somebody's job to check your inbox a few times per day for anything spicy. 6. Don't start the day with email That way your day gets away from you at 11am instead of 8am. 7. Eliminate inbox propriety Let's talk about this one a second time because it's so important: Imagine an employee saying "I'll keep an eye on my inbox while I'm away" despite employing 20 other people to do the same job. They'll follow your lead, so lead by example. Let other people help. 8. Don't work out of the inbox Getting to to inbox 0 is like running in quicksand. They keep coming in as fast as you can get them out. Instead, have an assistant move messages to a "today" folder once per day, and work out of that one. 9. Don't send immediate responses Nobody gets more than 1 email per 24 hours. This change alone will reduce email volume by 50%. 10. Designate a fast lane Occasionally a client will be in the thick of things and need quick access to you for a few days. Create a temporary fast lane, let the team know to ping you if anything from the client comes through. Make this level of availability the exception, not the rule. 11. Don't let people jump the line When you respond to that text or take that call, don't expect that person to ever get back in the email queue. Clients are like mice in a maze, they'll find the fastest way to get to your cheese until you stick to your comms strategy. Email sucks. It's ok to get help. It isn't an admission of defeat It's what'll let you focus on what matters, and better support your team.

Your emails aren't important. Stop doing work others can handle. Spending hours on emails isn't leadership. It's wasted time. Yet most CEOs check their inbox first thing in the morning. After drowning in requests, updates and intros, they wonder where the day went. That stops now. Here's how to get back 10+ hours a week by delegating your inbox: 1. Minimize Email Distractions ↳ Emails feel like work but don’t move the needle. ↳ Shift from inbox management to business growth. 2. Streamline Communication ↳ Move internal comms to Slack or Notion. ↳ Keep email only for external priorities (sales, hiring, partnerships, etc.) 3. Use an EA for Email Management ↳ Your EA understands the business and responds accordingly. ↳ Use template responses for repetitive emails (e.g. investor intros). 4. Create a Knowledge Base ↳ The EA tracks meeting recordings, Twitter and emails for answered questions. ↳ Common responses are stored in a Notion Q&A database for reference. 5. Email Diligence Process ↳ The EA filters incoming emails. ↳ They loop in relevant people or reply themselves. 6. Use a Drafts Folder Instead of Inbox ↳ The EA drafts replies for review. ↳ You only see emails that need your personal touch. 7. Outcome ↳ Inbox delegation slashes your response time to 10 minutes per day. ↳ You work intentionally to emails, not reactively. Instead of reacting to your inbox, focus on growing your business. What's your biggest email time-waster? Drop it below. ________________ ♻️ If this hits home, share it with your network. 🔔 Follow Christine Carrillo for more no-fluff leadership insights. ⏰ If you’re ready to delegate more and get your time back, check out my course: https://bit.ly/41wb1iA

I recently interviewed 50 execs about how they manage their inbox. Here are 3 workflows that kept coming up. Smart Labeling Systems: Most use a variation of the "4D" system - Do, Delegate, Defer, or Delete. Critical emails get tagged "Urgent/Today," while strategic discussions are labeled "Review Weekly." One CEO I know uses "Waiting For" labels to track pending responses from their team. Time-Boxing: The most disciplined executives set strict email windows - typically early morning, lunch, and end of day. Outside these times? Their inbox might as well not exist. One CTO shared that this alone doubled his productive hours. Executive Assistant: Many top executives leverage their EAs as email intelligence officers. These assistants don't just filter - they draft responses, maintain relationship histories, and ensure no critical communications slip through the cracks. Advanced Delegation: Several leaders have developed sophisticated systems where their EA handles 80% of emails independently, brings 15% to them for quick decisions, and flags only 5% as requiring their personal attention. The most successful executives view their inbox as a tool, not a task list. They're ruthless about what deserves their attention and aren't afraid to use auto-responders directing people to more efficient channels. Follow for more tips on how to stay sane!