There is a law in information theory: Signal requires Noise. If everything is loud, nothing is loud. If everything is Red, nothing is Red.
In weak organizations, managers use “Urgent” or “ASAP” as a crutch. They mark every email as “High Priority” because they lack the courage to prioritize. They are Urgency Inflationists.
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Result: The team becomes numb. They stop checking notifications. When a real fire starts, nobody moves.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf (Corporate Edition)
If you send a Slack message at 9 PM on Saturday for a non-crisis, you are burning your “Political Capital.” You have withdrawn from the “Trust Bank” without depositing. Eventually, your account hits zero. The next time you scream, nobody listens.
The Protocol: The 3 Levels of Latency
A Sovereign Organization defines “Speed” explicitly. We do not use vague words like “ASAP.” We use Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
Level 1: The Deep Work Mode (Default)
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Channel: Email / Workplate / Jira.
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Expectation: Response within 24 hours.
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Usage: 90% of all communication. This protects the team’s focus.
Level 2: The Rapid Response
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Channel: Slack / Teams (Direct Message).
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Expectation: Response within 4 hours.
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Usage: “I am blocked and cannot proceed without this.”
Level 3: The Red Phone (Nuclear)
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Channel: Phone Call / SMS.
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Expectation: Pick up immediately.
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Usage: “The server is down,” “We are losing money right now,” or “Someone is injured.”
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The Rule: If you use the Red Phone for a Level 1 issue, you lose the right to use the Red Phone.
#DhandheKaFunda: If you treat everything as an emergency, you are not a manager; you are a arsonist. Stop burning your team.