Technology Boundaries

Before you say as a business owner that working on the business and in the business are to different things, let me start by saying I agree. I will also add that as a leader, some things and items will still come to you because of your position. While there is a space for actionable reflection based on the types of items and people allocation, there is the human leadership experience within an organization that will require your attention.

Your attention to a matter is not equivalent to your direct response, because there may be other people in place. Still, you will always find yourself managing up, modeling, and creating space to cultivate leadership. And depending on the size of the team, the growth of the business, and its stage in development; you will need to be contacted.

With technology, there are multiple ways that people can be contacted. You name them, MarcoPolo, SLACK Channels, Google Chats, etc. email, text...there are so many ways. As a leader, I have a question...

Do you have a bat number? You know a number that is reserved for family and friends. Separate from work. I do. Having a 'bat number' was one of my first steps in establishing personal boundaries. Few work people have it and some have it because I probably called them in error. Honestly, having children helped me draw better boundaries. And because ovaries are not a requirement for boundary settings, let me save you the cost in diapers.

Professionals no matter the stage, should seek to figure out their line(s) of Demarcation. And while we understand, the line may change and readjust based upon your life station, personal needs, or even the finite high intensity of a project at work; we should seek to create this white space in our lives that is untethered...unbothered.

I remember being on a girl's trip with a few close friends (a COO of a hospital; a university attorney, a corporate attorney, and me)...the COO said I told my staff not call me unless there is a fire. And they called her on Saturday afternoon because...there was a fire. So yes, flexibility is important but also empowering and teaching people to lead as you grow is important. Note, they only called her when the fire had escalated :-)

This is for the person who got angry because 'work' called you on vacation and it was a quick question.

This is for the person who gets emails and texts from parents all day. (Note: your goal is not to stop that...your goal is to measure when you respond ... immediately...or next day based upon the 911 email).

This is for the person who feels the need to prove that they are supportive and respond to each "Can I talk to you?" "let me vent" from people who are your direct supports.

Here are a few things I do and have learned over time.

1. Get a personal number - your main line. Not the same number that you use for work or work-related tasks. This number is for your inner-personal circle, personal contacts related to your life and all the things you handle there.
2. Get a work mobile number. It can be connected to your phone. Program when the phone will ring or go to voicemail.
3. Turn off the notifications on your phone and computer. Put those texts on 'mute' in terms of notification. Reduce the visual stress of seeing all the notifications on your phone. If you are like me...you check certain areas of your phone enough where most notifications are unnecessary.
4. Decide that work email should be on one device. If you travel, bring that device with you or switch. But always one device. Work shouldn't be everywhere and when you work...it should have your attention. I prefer not to mix multi-tasking between my work and family coordination...so I choose. My work email is on one device - nonmobile.
5. Schedule when your emails go out...Teach People How To Treat You also means being thoughtful about how you treat people and the messaging. Late-night emails are a message of 'this is how WE work'. But if you are a late-night person, schedule the email at a more respectable hour. For me, I schedule emails for 7-8 am so that I can ease into my day. For more urgent or timely messaging, I call people...sometimes while I'm walking. If you want your team to refrain from email sending (nonurgent) on the weekends ...then schedule your emails to go out Monday through Friday.

In other words, create the technology culture and be flexible. Things happen and we shift. But technology overload can actually overload you.

Overcapacity people do not operate at their best. So....get some tech boundaries.

1. Create a tech response culture.

2. Develop people to respond, risk making mistakes, and respond to one another.

3. Cultivate a culture of communication that signals growth in planning, and problem-solving.

4. Get the tools. Operationalize them. Make them part of the standard practice within your org and create a standard personal practice for you.

#worksmarter

Landria Seals Green

Founder, The Huddle

Founder and CEO, ExcelPrep Schools