The Problem: The “Quick Question” Culture
In most companies, being “responsive” is a badge of honor. Slack pings all day. “Hey, quick question.” “Can you look at this?” “Got a sec?”
We realized that this “responsiveness” was actually a productivity killer. Every “quick question” breaks a developer’s concentration for 20 minutes. If you have 10 interruptions a day, you have zero deep work.
The Solution: The 15-Minute Protocol
We decided to flip the model. instead of Real-Time Communication, we moved to Batched Communication.
We accomplish this with a specific 15-minute morning protocol.
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Phase 1: The “Collection” (The Manager’s Duty)
The meeting actually starts the day before.
As the manager, when I see an issue or have a question for a team member during the day, I do not interrupt them.
“I act as a dam. I hold back the chaos so my team can flow.”
Unless the building is burning, I write it down in my “Morning List.” If a team member messages me a non-critical question, I often don’t answer immediately. I add it to the list.
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Phase 2: The Tactical “Clearing”
Every morning, we meet for exactly 15 minutes. This is not a vague “how are you feeling” chat. It is a tactical clearing of the list.
The Morning Clearing Agenda
The Leader’s List
I go through my notes first. “Here are the answers to the issues raised yesterday. Here are the points I need you to handle.” We solve them all right there.
The Circle Back
Once my list is clear, I circle back to every single team member and ask two specific questions:
- “Do you have anything new to share/ask?”
- “Do you have enough work for the day?”
By the time we hang up, nobody has any questions left. Total clarity has been achieved.
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Phase 3: The Shield (Discipline, Not Apps)
Once that meeting ends, the “Shield” goes up. The rest of the day is for execution.
We don’t use strict software blockers or draconian IT rules to enforce this. We use something stronger: Respect.
Our rule is simple: “Is this worth breaking their flow?”
Every team member knows that their colleague is doing deep, complex work. They respect that focus because they want their own focus respected.
The Result: 8 Hours of Silence
Because we clear all roadblocks in the first 15 minutes, the rest of the day is blissfully boring. No pings. No panic. Just the sound of work getting done.
The Takeaway
You don’t need more communication tools. You need less communication, done better. Batch your questions. Clear the path in the morning. Then, get out of the way and let your team build.
Read Next in Protocols
The “Fair Queue” Script: How to Handle “Urgent” Client Requests Without Chaos
You can control your team, but what about angry clients calling at 10 AM? Here is the exact script we use to handle them.
