3 Steps to Turn Your Out-of-Office Reply Into a Leadership Signal

It’s the last half of December, and most people are focused on wrapping things up and signing off. Perhaps the last thing you’ll do is set your out-of-office email responder. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Not quite. Have you ever considered that your out-of-office responder is an opportunity to communicate and reinforce your professional identity and your leadership status? 

This insight came up in a recent executive coaching session with a smart client. We were talking about touch points that shape her professional identity, and she mentioned a thoughtful out-of-office reply she’d seen that made her pause and think, “This says something about who they are as a leader.”  

She’s right. An out-of-office message might seem small, but it can be a powerful way to reinforce your personal brand. If you spend a little time managing your out-of-office status, it can work for you to reinforce your professional identity, even while you’re away. Three suggestions for how to do so: 

1. Be clear about coverage and dates. Then, be consistent. 

Of course, you need to be specific about the dates you’ll be gone, coverage you’ve set up, and when you will return. You also need to be consistent. 

Be consistent with your coverage. This means identifying someone to look after urgent things when you’re away, then letting them do their job. I understand how tempting it is to jump in to “help out,” but imagine how this feels to the person you’ve designated to step in for you. If your out-of-office responder says you’re away, but you’re still actively responding, then it’s confusing to everyone you work with, including your team and your customers or clients. 

Be consistent about dates. Don’t be tempted to over-promise regarding when you’ll be able to respond! If you’re coming back on January 2, don’t promise a response on that date. You know it’s always more overwhelming when you get back than you anticipated. So don’t overpromise. Rather, under promise and over-deliver. This isn’t just communication advice. This is life advice. 

2. Show some personality and reinforce your leadership identity. 

This is the opportunity that many leaders overlook. Here’s what I encourage my executive coaching clients to do. First, identify which part of your personal brand or your professional identity you want to emphasize.