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🌱 Welcome to the 27th issue of the Knockout Your Sunday Scaries Newsletter, an every-other-week newsletter by me, Kristy Olinger, with a focus on workplace communication and self-development. I’m glad you’re here. Was this forwarded to you? Get yours: Subscribe here​

Hi Reader,

Earlier this month we talked about the fact that nobody reads your emails. So it may surprise you that today’s recommendation is to lean into tools like email and chat to get more done. Working asynchronously (or async) has a huge upside if done well. Most notably, fewer meetings and more progress.

What async is and why it matters

Async is any method of working with others that doesn’t require people to be present at the same time. Examples include email, chat tools like MS Teams or Slack, project boards, digital whiteboards, and recorded video updates.

With packed calendars, global teams, and flexible schedules, it’s not always realistic to get everyone in the same (virtual) room. Developing strong async habits ensures that work keeps moving, even when schedules don’t align.

When done well, async communication creates clarity, autonomy, and inclusion. It helps teams stay connected and productive without adding to meeting overload.

When async works (and when it doesn’t)

Not every situation is fit for async work. Here are two different examples with different outcomes.

✅ Success:​
A group of peers were assigned a task. They were already aligned on the outcome but needed to decide how to get there. After an initial meeting to define steps and owners, instead of scheduling a recurring meeting they agreed to share updates and feedback in a chat thread.

Why it worked:​
The group had shared goals, trust, and no conflicting priorities. Everyone contributed updates and input on time, decisions were documented, and the work moved forward smoothly—no extra meetings required.

❌ Failure:​
A cross-divisional group was asked to design a new process. The purpose and success measures weren’t clear, and each group had different priorities and perspectives. They created a shared project doc and comment thread.

Why it didn’t work:​
Without a shared understanding of goals, feedback was fragmented and contradictory. Misalignment grew, engagement dropped, and progress stalled.

The takeaway

Async isn’t a magic fix… it’s a skill. It works best when goals are clear, alignment is high, and everyone understands their role. When those pieces are missing, a live conversation is often the faster path to clarity.

The real win comes from being intentional:

• Start async when the work is defined and independent
• Switch to sync when emotion, ambiguity, or conflict show up
• Always follow up with a written summary so progress is visible

If you’re feeling stuck in meeting overload, experiment this week by replacing one meeting with a well-structured async thread. Notice what happens.

You might discover that less time together can lead to more progress overall.

💊 May this be the antidote you needed to knockout your 😱 Sunday Scaries today.

Thanks for reading. ❤️ Have a great two weeks.

Stay Curious,

Kristy

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