Leadership inbox delegation policy
A practical policy for deciding which executive messages support can sort, draft, or escalate.
- Define the executive support outcome
- Match role scope to leadership cadence
- Use a structured selection process
Define the role
Create message categories that match decisions: scheduling, routine updates, approvals, sensitive matters, and requests that create a new promise. Each category needs a permitted support action.
Set the operating model
Give every category a response window and an approved sender. A draft may be useful, but it should not turn an unclear decision into an implied commitment.
Choose with care
Sample the queue each week. Look for messages that were routed late, drafted without enough context, or kept in the inbox when a project tracker would have been safer.
Related resources
Read also: executive communications routing matrix and executive inbox triage rules. Source: CISA phishing guidance.
FAQ
What should support own?
Support should own recurring coordination and preparation with a clear output, owner, and escalation boundary.
When should support escalate?
Escalate when work creates a new commitment, involves sensitive information, exceeds agreed authority, or has no accountable decision-maker.
How should the workflow improve?
Review real misses and rework, then change one rule, template, or handoff that addresses the evidence.
Discuss executive support