The Leadership Experiment We Still Talk About: Lessons from 12 Days of No Email
Stepping away from email—especially for leaders—can feel almost unthinkable. Our inboxes have become command centers, decision hubs, and constant sources of urgency. Yet when leaders intentionally pause that stream, even temporarily, valuable insights emerge about focus, presence, and how we actually lead.
In this video, Ed shares a personal leadership experiment: attempting to go without email for an extended period of time and observing not just what happened operationally, but what surfaced mentally and emotionally along the way. The result wasn’t a perfect digital detox—it was a realistic look at modern leadership and our relationship with constant connectivity.
Accountability Begins with Clarity
The first step was setting clear expectations. Communicating intentions to the team, defining how to be reached if something truly mattered, and being explicit about boundaries created a sense of accountability—both for the leader and for others.
This is a leadership principle worth noting. Boundaries without communication create confusion. Boundaries paired with clarity build trust. When leaders articulate what “urgent” really means, teams often discover they need far less immediate access than they assumed.
Habits Are Harder to Break Than Rules
Removing email and communication apps felt liberating at first—but habit quickly took over. Muscle memory led to reaching for apps that were no longer there.
This moment highlights how deeply ingrained constant checking has become. Research on attention and cognitive load shows that frequent digital interruptions reduce focus and increase mental fatigue, even when leaders believe they’re managing it well. Awareness is the first step toward change.
The Pull of Curiosity and Perceived Urgency
As time passed, curiosity crept in. What’s happening? What might I be missing?
When email was eventually checked, the reality was revealing: very little was urgent, and nothing required immediate intervention. This reinforces a difficult but important leadership truth—urgency is often assumed, not real.
Strong teams don’t require constant oversight. In fact, stepping back can reinforce trust, autonomy, and confidence on both sides.
Imperfect Disconnection Is Still Valuable
There were moments of partial re-engagement—necessary work, time-bound tasks, and practical responsibilities that couldn’t be ignored. For many leaders, especially business owners, full disconnection isn’t realistic.
That doesn’t negate the value of the experiment. Leadership growth doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from intention. Even limited disconnection created space to recharge mentally and return with greater clarity.
Making Space for Boredom and Reflection
One unexpected outcome was boredom. Without constant notifications, there was empty space—and that space demanded attention.
Boredom often gets a bad reputation, but for leaders it can be a gateway to reflection, creativity, and strategic thinking. When the noise quiets, leaders are better able to evaluate what truly matters, where their energy goes, and how they show up for others.
What Leaders Can Take Away
The takeaway isn’t that leaders should disconnect completely or disappear for long stretches of time. It’s that intentional disconnection—at any scale—is a leadership skill.
- Boundaries support better decisions
- Presence strengthens relationships
- Focus improves performance
- Small, intentional changes create lasting impact
Whether it’s one hour, one afternoon, or one clearly protected boundary, leaders benefit when they step out of constant responsiveness and into intentional leadership.
Leadership isn’t about being available at all times. It’s about being purposeful with attention, energy, and time—so you can lead with clarity and show up where it matters most.
