The Friday Email: A Simple Strategy for Founders/Chief Executives to Truly Unplug
In leadership circles, there's a recurring theme: executives encouraging their teams to take personal time off (PTO) while they themselves remain tethered to work during vacations. This inconsistency sends mixed signals, leading employees to question whether they genuinely have permission to disconnect.
With the executives I've worked with the issue often lies in the executive's internal conflict. They desire quality time with family and a genuine break, yet fear that their absence might stall business operations or delay critical decisions. This dilemma becomes especially pronounced during extended vacations of two to three weeks. One executive once told me, “My (life partner) is not happy with me because I “ruin” every vacation by working the whole time, I don’t want to be but I don’t see a choice.”
Drawing inspiration from concept of "letting go of the vine," it's evident that leaders struggle to loosen their grip. The first reaction is often to stay engaged, find some fancy new tool, or just not take time away, which has its own negative consequences. Recognizing this, I've implemented a straightforward, decidedly low-tech, solution that bridges the gap between the need for rest, the demands of leadership, and being mindful of your company culture: the Friday Email.
Friday Email - Here is how it works:
Pre-Vacation Planning: Before the executive's departure, the exec and I collaboratively develop a comprehensive work plan. This plan outlines key priorities, expectations, pre-approved authorities, and responsibilities during their absence. Escalation protocol - what happens if something clearly can’t wait until Friday? Sharing this with senior managers ensures clarity and alignment across the board.
Weekly Updates: Throughout the week, I engage with the leadership team, department heads and/or project leads to gather concise updates—typically 4-6 bullet points—highlighting progress, challenges, wins, good news, and any pertinent information worth including.
Consolidated Briefing: Every Friday, I edit and compile these insights into a max. two-page briefing document and add my layer of context and insight as an overview. This includes urgent matters, decisions awaiting input, and a summary of departmental updates, all tied back to the initial work plan. Overall steps 2 and 3 usually only take about an hour of time - it’s not a big lift because of the pre-planning.
Timely Delivery: The briefing is sent to the executive mid-day Friday, aligned with the business's primary time zone. This timing allows for any necessary follow-ups before the weekend.
Benefits of the Friday Email
For the Executive: They remain informed without being inundated, allowing them to relax knowing the business is on track.
For the Team: Employees perceive that their leader is genuinely on vacation, fostering a culture that respects and values PTO.
For the Business: Operations continue seamlessly, with decisions made in a timely manner and no backlog upon the executive's return.
Can you use AI in this process? Yes. Can you use the dashboard and visuals? Yes. My advice here is to start simple, no required logins, don’t overthink format and delivery, in fact keeping it to a simple email helps to keep the distance that is being created intentionally.
Over time, executives become more comfortable with this approach, often finding that they can fully disengage, returning refreshed and more effective. Upon their return, a short debrief helps refine the process for future vacations.
In an era where burnout is prevalent, and the lines between work and personal life blur, simple strategies like the Friday Email are essential. They not only support the well-being of leaders but also set a precedent for the entire organization, emphasizing the importance of genuine rest and work-life balance.