Although you cannot control the number of inbound outreaches to you, you can set expectations regarding how your colleagues will hear back from you. Expectations are the boundaries you create which reflect your unique style, calendar and workload. Here are some ways to set expectations/boundaries with your colleagues:
- Establish, communicate, and honor a 24-hour response rule where you say in your emails and voicemails that you will respond to your colleagues within 24 hours of your receipt of their outreach. It is generally understood that this means Monday if the message is left from Friday to Sunday.
- Schedule specific time on your calendar to respond to voicemails and emails.
- Utilize the “out-of-office” functionality embedded in your email system when you know you will be unable to access email or voicemail (i.e., you are attending a three-day off-site meeting or you are on vacation), and ensure you include the following:
- Date and/or time you will be returning to the office.
- The name, title, phone number, and email address of an individual your colleagues can reach during your absence.
- Update your voicemail every time you are out for an extended period of time to let your colleagues know that you are out of the office, when you will be returning, and who they can contact in your absence if they have an urgent need.
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Raise Your Visibility & Value: Uncover the Lost Art of Connecting on the Job is available
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