Email Protocols That Build Teamwork by Dr. Brent E. Betit

Earlier in my career, I worked in postsecondary education where I developed skills as an organizational utility infielder. In all, I held six interim senior management roles at the same college, in addition to my ongoing

responsibilities. A colleague told me it was because I didn’t know how to say “no.” However, it was one of the best learning experiences imaginable, providing some interesting insight into change processes, organizational culture, and team dynamics. Because I served in these roles on an interim basis — and made clear I was not interested in permanent positions — I benefited by not experiencing the political dynamics that often hinder interim leaders.

Surely the most common challenge I encounter in both interim and permanent roles is communication. Heard that one before? Any organization with more than a single employee has a culture of communication — one that can either compromise or deliver consistently positive outcomes. Unfortunately, culture is too often unspoken and unexamined. Unless retrospection and reflection form a strong foundation of the culture, communication challenges will persist.

What is the primary objective of communication in any team? A review of

business literature provides context. Bjørn and Ngwenyama believe it is “shared meaning between participants.” 1 Warkentin and Beranek suggest

“interpersonal communication dynamics” can be improved when organizations

“require team communication training on group interactions, especially

for enhancing...relational links and thereby improving communication and information exchange.” 2 Frost points to communication standards as the first principle to address communication problems in the workplace. 3

If we want to achieve meaning and high performance on teams, we should create simple team communication expectations and standards and establish consistent team-wide communication practices.

Another colleague once told me that this kind of organizational epiphany is more of a “duh” moment thanan “aha” moment, and that embracing the obvious seems to be a key skill I had learned in multiple interim appointments. I’m pretty sure she meant that during my many interim roles I developed an uncanny ability to identify common team challenges. Yeah, let’s go with that.

I am also (ahem) a mature professional, meaning I was working long before email was invented, or computers were deployed. Therefore, I have seen digital communication overtake the business world, becoming the most common medium of team interchanges across the globe — replacing those ripped shreds of paper my distinguished colleagues and I used to drop in each other’s mailboxes to set a meeting or to share information. I sometimes complain about email, but never heartily, because I know how things worked without it. Glacially.

A wonderful topical history of email is found in a 2016

article in The Guardian that tracks its humble 1965

beginnings at MIT, to Darpanet (1973), BerkNet (1978),

EMAIL (1979), MS Mail (1988), then Lotus’s 1989 launch

of Notes, which ultimately inspired competitive mimics

worldwide, and the “global epidemic” that we now know and love. 4 I long ago yielded to the inevitable and now

(instead of fighting email) I work to establish consistent communication protocols wherever I serve, collaborating with the senior team to tweak the protocols so they are better aligned with extant organizational culture. Rather than build a compelling argument for how these protocols avoid conflict (Why don’t I get a response from him/her for a week?), encourage teamwork and collaboration (All he had to do was copy me so I was aware.), establish better/work life balance (weekend emails do not receive a response unless emergent), and reinforce a culture of respect, I will share the email protocols our team finalized last year on pages 10-11. Best of luck with your team-mail!

Dr. Brent Betit has served as head of The Fletcher School in Charlotte, NC, since July 2016. Prior to that, he spent nearly three decades at Landmark College, the world’s first college for students with diagnosed learning differences, and also served as the deputy executive director for educational affairs at the King Salman Center for Disability Research in Saudi Arabia.

1 Bjørn, P. and Ngwenyama, O. (2009), Virtual team collaboration: building shared meaning, resolving breakdowns and creating translucence. Information Systems Journal, 19: 227-253. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2575.2007.00281.x 2 Warkentin, M. and Beranek, P. M. (1999), Training to improve virtual team communication. Information Systems Journal, 9: 271-289. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2575.1999.00065.x 3 Frost, Shelley. “Top Ten Communication Problems in the Workplace” bizfluent.com, 4 November 2019. https://bizfluent.com/info-12099516-top-ten-communicationproblems-workplace.html. 4 Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/mar/07/email-ray-tomlinson-history?CMP=share_btn_link

tUniformsu parents trust and students love

The Fletcher School: Email and Mobile Phone Communication Protocols for the Senior Leadership Team

Before you begin, always consider the best communication method to use.

Email is a useful asynchronous method to communicate complex information to multiple recipients or to document important decisions or discussions. It should not replace in-person or telephone check-ins for simple matters or direct communication between two individual team members. Text messaging can be used for a range of purposes, but in business should be limited to discrete uses described within this framework.

EMAIL TRIAGE

Use a clear Subject line that immediately identifies your topic. To manage the volume of email effectively and to establish consistent response patterns, always use one of these three subject line introductions to support your team in prioritizing their responses:

ASAP As Soon As Practicable. Even if the requested action cannot be completed ASAP, the recipient must acknowledge the request on the day it is received, then reply with an expected completion date.

DNB xx/xx Date Needed By xx/xx. Use when a response and action are needed by a particular date. Provide the date or deadline in the subject header and repeat it in the body of the email, including a concise and clear description of the requested action.

INFO Information Only. Review these emails at your leisure; no reply expected. An email without an identifying subject line is considered a standard email. Reply to such email messages within 24 hours. Weekends do not count as business days; do not send urgent emails with deadlines or changes on Friday afternoon, over the weekend, or during the evening unless you are managing an emergent or wholly unexpected challenge. Hold weekend emails until Monday. Hold evening emails until morning. If a team member is on vacation, do not request — and do not expect — a reply until they return from vacation.

If an issue IS emergent, protocols do not apply. Use your best professional judgement concerning when and how to communicate.

TO and CC FIELDS

TO Use the TO field for the person or people who need to respond to the email or whom you are requesting to take a particular action.

CC Use the CC field when you want others to be aware, but you do not expect them to reply or act. If you are copied in the CC field, do not respond unless you have relevant information that it is important for the sender to know.

EMAIL HYGIENE

1. Respect organizational structure when communicating with individuals or constituent groups. Example: Communication with faculty should come from or include division heads or relate to an issue that they know about.

2. Practice consistent respect in every interaction. Assume good intentions are motivating your colleague’s efforts and communication. Always consider the tone and potential impact of your words. Written communication lacks the context of body language and other vital factors.

3. Leadership teams should never use the BCC field when communicating within the team. If you feel the need to BCC someone, work out the underlying issue face-to-face. Please talk to the HOS if you need support.

4. When emailing outside the team to individuals, avoid the use of the BCC field (except in item #5, below). Either CC or FW the email after it is sent to the team member. This keeps communication channels clear and avoids inadvertent responses from a BCC recipient, which can be awkward and breaches necessary trust.

5. BCC can be used when emailing to a group outside the team (for example, the board of trustees, or parent council). This keeps “reply all” responses from cluttering inboxes and protects the privacy of email addresses.

6. Communication with board members should occur only with the prior review and approval or under the direction of the head of school, who should typically be copied.

MOBILE PHONE USE

Senior managers must be accessible for emergent issues. Mobile phones are critical to team accessibility and may be used to connect with other senior leaders, by text messaging or calling, or to provide a quick update on an individual member’s location and availability. Mobile phones are also used during critical incidents via the PunchAlert app.

Texting between senior managers and teammates should be limited to those needs. They should not be used for substantive organizational communication. Move communication back to email, phone, or in person as soon as practicable. Use email if a written record is desired.

Text messaging from senior managers to other employees, students, family members, or members of the community is discouraged except in the most emergent situations or as a simple notification/status update as described above. Senior managers who receive a text message from students, family members, or members of the community should move the conversation immediately to email so that a professional and consistent record of communication with important stakeholders is maintained.

For Over 45 Years, We’ve Worked to Help Keep Kids and School Staff Safe

To learn more please contact Educational Institutions Segment

Specialist Mike Centrone at 716-639-2347.

In 2019, SAIS accredited and re-accredited 59 member schools. Thank you to the visiting team chairs and hundreds of team members who volunteered their time and service to this important process. Schools listed in bold received initial SAIS accreditation in 2019. Congratulations to all!

Ascension Academy, Amarillo, TX The Altamont School, Birmingham, AL Atlanta Academy, Roswell, GA Atlanta International School, Atlanta, GA Augusta Preparatory Day School, Martinez, GA The Benjamin School, North Palm Beach, FL Brandon Hall School, Atlanta, GA Chatham Academy at Royce, Savannah, GA Cornerstone Christian Academy, Peachtree Corners, GA The Donoho School, Anniston, AL Ensworth School, Nashville, TN Episcopal Collegiate School, Little Rock, AR Episcopal Day School, Southern Pines, NC Fellowship Christian School, Roswell, GA Gaston Day School, Gastonia, NC Gracepoint School, Marietta, GA Greensboro Montessori School, Greensboro, NC Hancock Day School, Savannah, GA Heritage Preparatory School, Atlanta, GA High Point Friends School, High Point, NC Hilltop Montessori School, Birmingham, AL Kenston Forest School, Blackstone, VA King’s Ridge Christian School, Alpharetta, GA Lawrence Academy, Merry Hill, NC Learning Unlimited Preparatory School, Miami, FL Lee-Scott Academy, Auburn, AL The Lerner Jewish Community Day School, Durham, NC Live Oak Classical School, Waco, TX Margolin Hebrew Academy, Memphis, TN Marshall Academy, Holly Springs, MS The Master’s Academy, Oviedo, FL Middle Tennessee Christian School, Murfreesboro, TN Noble Academy, Greensboro, NC Norfolk Academy, Norfolk, VA Palmer Trinity School, Palmetto Bay, FL

Pillow Academy, Greenwood, MS Providence Day School, Charlotte, NC Pulaski Academy, Little Rock, AR Rocky Mount Academy, Rocky Mount, NC Saint Xavier High School, Louisville, KY Salisbury Academy, Salisbury, NC The Savannah Country Day School, Savannah, GA The Schenck School, Atlanta, GA Spartanburg Day School, Spartanburg, SC St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School, Sewanee, TN St. George’s Episcopal School, Milner, GA St. George’s Independent School, Collierville, TN St. Luke’s Episcopal School, Mobile, AL St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Memphis, TN Starkville Academy, Starkville, MS Stratford Academy, Macon, GA Tallulah Falls School, Tallulah Falls, GA Tiftarea Academy, Chula, GA Trinity Academy, Raleigh, NC UMS-Wright Preparatory School, Mobile, AL University School of Nashville, Nashville, TN Veritas Christian Academy of Houston, Bellaire, TX The Weber School, Atlanta, GA Westminster Academy, Memphis, TN

2019 New SAIS Members

• Academy High Champaign, IL

• Briarwood Academy Warrenton, GA

• Church Hill Academy Richmond, VA

• Cornerstone Christian Schools San Antonio, TX

• Episcopal School of Nashville Nashville, TN

• Hampton Road International Montessori Newport News, VA