Inaccessibility Training Builds Team Self-Reliance

When you make it harder for people to interrupt you, something unexpected happens — they figure out how to solve problems themselves instead of relying on you for everything. This isn't about being distant or unavailable as a leader. It's a deliberate training mechanism. When your team knows they can reach you instantly at any moment, they don't develop their own judgment — they outsource it to you. Eben recommends consciously avoiding immediate email responses 80 to 90 percent of the time, specifically to avoid programming people that you're always available. The goal is a team that runs without you needing to be in every decision loop.