Ep. 248: Decoding Overload
Deep Questions with Cal Newport
Cal Newport's Communication Protocols (Office Hours, Docket Clearing, etc.)
Email is for announcing information, urgent questions that require a single reply, and delivering files. Anything that requires back and forth interaction should be done synchronously in real time during office hours, which can be in person, on the phone, on Zoom, or on Slack. For interactions involving multiple people, regularly scheduled docket clearing meetings should be held with a shared document to discuss and tackle items. If all else fails, a custom scheduled meeting can be arranged using an automated process. Shared documents and folders should be heavily used for collecting information accessed by multiple people, while email should not be used as a knowledge management system. These protocols reduce the need for unscheduled Slack or multiple back and forths over email, making meetings more reasonable and efficient.
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