We wanted to take a moment to celebrate Keaton. He's off to a great start in U.S. Lit. and Comp. He's engaged in class discussions and activities. His work is thoughtful and thorough, and his efforts have been consistent. We're very proud of him!
>Hi LLT,
In regards to our focus on equity, we know that we cannot create an environment that is welcoming and inclusive for all if our words and actions divide those we are striving to bring together. We also know that we cannot provide our students of color with access to increased opportunities without the help and support of their classmates. With that said, a number of our current students, staff and alumni have recently shared stories with us about the isolation, degradation and discrimination they have witnessed or experienced in our schools. These stories have shed light on the critical issues in our district that have served as barriers to equity for far too long. They have underscored the need for us to delve deeper into the root causes of these issues so we can better understand their impact and begin to identify solutions. They have also shown us that we will never be able to truly empower our students to reach their ideal future if we don’t recognize that doing so requires actual change. It is these stories and the countless others that remain untold that will continue to motivate us and inspire our efforts to create an environment in our schools, district and community where everyone is treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
From Harvard Business Review: ""How to Follow Up when Someone's Not Getting Back to You"" by Rebecca Zucker
This HBR is great!
""We’ve all been there. You email someone asking for a conversation, information, input, or an introduction, and you get no response. Whether you are reaching out to a coworker, a client, a recruiter, a classmate, or even an old friend, not everyone will get back to you on your timeline — if at all.
As frustrating and disappointing as it may be, a lack of response doesn’t mean they’re ghosting you. It’s important to maintain perspective. People are often juggling a series of important work and personal responsibilities. Your email probably doesn’t make the top 10 on their priority list. Remembering this can help de-personalize their silence, and make you less hesitant to send a follow up message.
That said, it can still feel awkward to follow up, especially if you need to do so more than once. Here are some key things to keep in mind when you reach out to someone for the second (or third, or fourth) time.
Forty-seven percent of emails are opened or discarded based on their subject line alone. Research shows that shorter subject lines with only four words have the highest open rates, which makes sense since two-thirds of emails are read on mobile devices.
For example, Paul, a client of mine, needed his colleague to sign off on a communication plan around the announcement of his move to a new group. His first email, with the subject line “Team communication plan in advance of firm announcement” didn’t get a response. Paul emailed his coworker again, changing the subject line to “Time sensitive: communication plan,” and got an immediate reply.
Though not every email will be urgent, like Paul’s, you still need to be thoughtful about your subject line. Avoid generic phrases like “Following up” or “Checking in.” Those are not only vague — they may also make the reader feel bad for being slow to respond (even further delaying a prompt reply). Instead, use the subject line to give the recipient a short preview of your request. You might say, “Next steps on X project” or “Question on job application.”
Tone can easily be misinterpreted via email, so take care to craft a message that sounds friendly and polite. Research shows emails that are slightly to moderately positive in tone have a 10-15% higher response rates than more neutral messages.
Think of your message as a gentle nudge. Imagine receiving an email that says, “Please send your feedback on my project by Thursday,” versus, “Given your experience with these types of projects, I’d love to get your feedback on the work I’ve done so far. This would be a big win for my team and I, so we appreciate you sending any thoughts you have by EOD Thursday.” The former is neutral and could potentially be construed as demanding, whereas the latter is slightly more upbeat and appreciative while also being complimentary to the recipient. Subtle flattery — without going overboard — helps.
No one likes to receive a long or dense email. The most effective messages are short and easily scannable. Research shows that between 75 and 100 words is ideal, yielding the highest response rate at 51%. This means that if you’re forwarding your initial email, your follow-up message should be even shorter.
The same research also shows that using simple language (at a third-grade reading level) results in the highest response rate (53%). Longer, more complex emails are often put to the side and revisited later when the reader has time to focus on your message. This means that longer emails are more likely to be forgotten.
Try keeping it simple and straightforward. For instance, you could say something like, “I’m following up to see if you might have some time to talk in the next week or two about your experience working at Company X, as I just applied for the financial analyst position.”
An unambiguous, direct question will make your request evident to the reader. The clearer you are, the easier it is for them to respond. In fact, you are 50% more likely to get a response if you ask up to three questions than no questions at all. Your questions might sound something like:
One reason someone might not reply to an email is that they aren’t able to help, or don’t feel comfortable following through on your request. Giving your email recipient an out will ease their discomfort and demonstrate humility, making the other person more likely to reply.
Try using one of the following phrases:
You can also give the recipient a chance to save face by acknowledging that you know they’re busy and have a lot on their plate. The last thing you want is for them to associate negative emotions with receiving emails from you. In this case, a simple statement like, “If you’re too busy or it’s not a good time right now, no problem,” works well.
Research shows that asking for what we need reduces anxiety and improves your self-esteem, sense of agency, and the quality of your relationships – not to mention, it may help you to get your request fulfilled. In short, following up is worth the effort.
But there’s a fine line between being persistent and being annoying. You need to demonstrate both assertiveness and good judgment about when to follow up and when it’s time to cut your losses and move on. As a general rule, a week after your initial email is a good time to reach out again as a first follow-up. However, depending on the nature of your request, prior conversations, and/or relevant deadlines, it may be appropriate to follow up sooner.
Unless it’s time sensitive, each successive follow-up should be spaced a bit further apart, adding another week’s time in between, until you’ve followed up three times. There could be an additional fourth “hail Mary” attempt, depending on the situation. One client of mine had interviewed for a senior role and the recruiter said she was impressed and wanted him to meet with the CEO. After three follow-up emails, my client had still heard nothing. It had been six weeks from his last follow-up email. He had nothing to lose, so he decided to email the recruiter one last time and got a response within minutes.
Following up with others who aren’t getting back to you is an inevitable and necessary part of business and accomplishing your goals. Use the strategies above to increase the effectiveness of your follow up and help you get the response you need.
from Harvard Business Review email from 1/21/21 - This tip is adapted from “Good Leadership Is About Asking Good Questions,” by John Hagel III
Chances are, most leaders are too focused on having all the answers — and not focused enough on asking the right questions. It's time to recalibrate. Despite what you might think, expressing vulnerability and asking for help, clarification, or input can be a sign of strength and confidence, not weakness. The right questions are signals of trust — and they can inspire people to trust you in return. For example, rather than telling your team about a new opportunity you've identified, ask them, "Do you see a game-changing opportunity that could create much more value than we’ve delivered in the past?" A big, simple question like this can inspire a burst of collaboration and creativity across the organization. And if you consistently demonstrate a question-first mindset, you’ll help establish an overall culture of curiosity and learning that will keep your team innovating and responding to challenges effectively. So try it out this week: Ask your team a big-picture, open-ended question, and see if it doesn’t lead to some new and exciting ideas.
My colleague at RMHS does Kudos in staff emails:
She also lists books she's reading like this:
HBR article about talking to your team after the Wednesday mayhem:
So many Americans are infuriated and heartbroken by the events that occurred in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021. As lawmakers convened in a joint session in the House of Representatives chamber to count Electoral College votes and certify the election of the 46th President of the United States, rioters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the process of democracy at work. It was a horrifying display of domestic terrorism.
When major events like this happen, with millions of people watching, the workplace spillover is inevitable. And, particularly over the past year, many organizations have committed to stepping up in such situations to support their workers’ needs. Consider the clear and strong stances many companies took in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by police, including work with internal and external partners to develop their DEI competencies and address social justice issues. This is yet another opportunity for managers to put those corporate ideals into practice on the ground.
Many leaders are unsure about how to discuss current events that elicit strong opinions and emotions from their team members and so their default is to say nothing or make only a passing comment. Resist that tendency. You need to instead lean into this moment of disbelief, frustration, anger, fear, and anything else people might be feeling — not only today but from here on out. When something unspeakable occurs, you won’t find the perfect words to calm your people and restore their focus. No one does. But it is important that you acknowledge pain when it is felt. It is top of mind for your employees, and they are waiting to hear from you.
As you approach these crucial conversations, two things should be clear in your mind:
Now you can focus on encouraging an inclusive dialogue that shows you to be a supportive leader who cares about your employees both at work and in life. Here’s a template you might follow:
Create space. Let your team know that the crisis has been on your mind and you want to give them time and a venue (even if it’s virtual) to express their feelings about what’s happened. Clarify that it’s also okay to not discuss it if they prefer.
Acknowledge. Show that you understand how difficult it can be to process traumatic events.
Affirm. Demonstrate that you are taking in individual perspectives.
Personalize. Share your own authentic reactions but don’t make assumptions or generalizations about how others feel.
Offer support. Let your team know you stand ready to help them today and going forward.
Reinforce values. Remind people of your personal and your organization’s commitment to employee wellbeing, democratic values, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Highlight resources. Point people to your organization’s DEI and mental health support groups and programs, as well as online guides to external help.
The events of the past several years — culminating in yesterday’s attempted coup — have left a great many of us reeling. Managers need to check in with their teams now more than ever, engage in open and honest conversations, help people process their evolving emotions, share their perspectives and opinions, and offer ongoing support. Done right, this sets the stage for the kind of strong manager-employee relationship that can also weather turbulent times in the future.
Well said... after january 6, 2021 chaos in Washington.... LT principal sends this out:
The events that occurred during Wednesday’s election certification in Washington D.C. were historic, tragic, and not reflective of the democratic society most Americans strive for. On Thursday, our remote classrooms included questions from students and discussion, which undoubtedly included varying opinions, thoughts, and feelings regarding Wednesday’s events. Please know as educators, while we do not have all the answers to student questions, our obligation is to focus on acknowledging the history of the moment and the reality of what occurred, to demonstrate empathy to those who were injured or lost their lives, and to provide an opportunity for all students to share their thoughts, feelings, and opinions in a respectful manner.
Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you Monday. — David
Thanks, everyone, for your continued flexibility and perseverance! I'm constantly impressed by you all!
I really like the "design principles" from Achievement First about remote learning because of the way they're written. The "we need a simple..." pattern makes it really easy to understand.
• We need to lead with our “care for the whole person” value and keep our community together. We need to have enough touchpoints and direct contacts to make sure we have a pulse on our kids and each other.
• We create a shared “container.” Having a consistent instructional approach and schedule will enable efficiencies (family communication, tech issues, and curriculum design) and collaboration.
• We need a simple, clear plan that we can execute well. None of us has ever done this before. The more complexity we add, the harder it will be to do it well.
• We need continuity and consistency. We—our scholars, teachers, and families—need consistent routines for remote learning and remote community that will become a source of stability and comfort.
• We are designing for “most.” There will be no effective plan that works for every single student, parent, and teacher. We will need flexibility and extra support for the students, families, and staff who need it.
