The Email Impersonator Technique ⇪

Our aim at Athena is to help you achieve more by becoming a level six delegator.

In each issue of our newsletter you’ll get unique delegation tips, including:

• Level Up → The Email Impersonator Technique

• Delegate This → Automate Your Groceries

LEVEL UP

The Email Impersonator Technique

Imagine yourself recoiling as you read an email your assistant sent to a key investor. It's riddled with corporate jargon you'd never use — missing the warm, personal touch you're known for. You are embarrassed and concerned that the relationship will be impacted.

Here's a counterintuitive method that works: Instead of teaching your assistant to write like you, write emails as your assistant.

Implementation:

1. Schedule a 15-minute screen-sharing session. Select a relatively complex email — maybe a nuanced investor inquiry or a sensitive team communication — as your training example.

2. Draft responses in real-time as if you were your assistant, and narrate your thought process out loud:

   • "I'm starting with 'Dear Ms. Johnson, This is Sam, Ms. Chen's executive assistant.' This sets the appropriate tone, because this a more traditional recipient - you can tell from the formal way they wrote to me in their first email."

3. Explain key decisions:

   • "I'm acknowledging the proposal's value without making any firm commitments."

   • "Referencing quarterly planning explains the delay and highlights our focus."

4. Have your assistant immediately draft a similar email. Review together, offering real-time feedback.

This method achieves several goals simultaneously:

1. It maintains your assistant’s authentic voice and demonstrates exactly how you want communications handled.

2. It's more scalable and productive than mere templates; no need to schedule additional “training time” — you can get work through your inbox in real time.

Your goal isn't to clone yourself, but to create a symbiotic communication system that represents you effectively while allowing your assistant to maintain their identity.

DELEGATE THIS

Automate Your Groceries

Imagine that this next time is the last you’ll need to fill up your own fridge. It’s possible — your assistant can help you fully automate meal planning and your groceries.

Here’s how:

1. Share What You Buy → Give your assistant access to your Instacart or Amazon Fresh order history. If you don’t use a delivery service, your assistant can still figure out what you buy if you take a few photos of your fridge when it’s full — that way, they can see your ideal brands, sizes, and flavors.

2. Build a Meal Database → Instruct your assistant about your overall dietary preferences (i.e. high-protein, vegan, etc) and have them use ChatGPT to build recipes based on the ingredients in your order history (and/or fridge) to put together a database of potential meals. Here’s an example from Sunil Pai, an Athena member.

3. Receive Your Meal Plan → Your assistant can propose a weekly meal plan for you (like this). All you need to do is approve or reject their choices.

4. Automated Fridge Refills → Once approved, your assistant can place a grocery delivery order for you at a time that’s convenient for them to arrive.

Liked this issue? Let us know by voting in the poll below. And expect to receive more delegation tips to help you build leverage every few weeks.