Monday, August 14, 2023

A Template and Process for a Spacious OOO


Set up your team up for success and yourself for actual time off 👇


Continue reading for some tips, process, and expected outcomes.


Two Tips
  • Hold meetings - Meet with every single person you are (hoping) to assign as a DRI in your place. Your goal of each meeting is ensure they are set up for success and actually agree to the added responsibility (Agreements > Expectations).
  • Hold the boundary - If you say your not going to respond to emails, Slack messages, etc... then don't. You are doing both yourself and your team a disservice by 1) going back on a commitment you made to be offline, 2) modeling poor boundaries and 3) modeling that vacation isn't really vacation 🙅‍♂️
Process
  • 3+ weeks prior to OOO
    • Block off your calendar 
    • Decline meetings 
  • 2 weeks prior to OOO
    • Give an FYI in an appropriate channel, team meeting, or other venue
  • 1 week prior to OOO
    • Meet will all DRIs taking over your responsibilities - gain agreement
    • Post your OOO doc in the most-appropriate channel at least 48 hours before being offline. 
  • Day of OOO
    • Reply to your own previous Slack message that contained your OOO doc announcing your offline-ness
    • Set your Slack status to OOO
    • Activate email OOO message 
Outcomes - OOO done well
  • Models that taking time off is accepted and celebrated
  • Helps ID new leaders for tasks / meetings / etc…
  • Give team members a taste of more leadership / responsibility
  • Is “just” another great way to be an actual team

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