Alan Gutierrez

I’m in email triage. I am applying my new habit. My new habit for email triage is to tag. This is the processing step of my getting things done regimen. (Getting Things Done is an organizational principle for people who work in information and communications heavy fields.)

Today, I come across an email message from an academic and I take pause. Why don’t I care about helping academics with their social research on New Orleans, I wonder? They are kind enough students. They mean well.

Certainly, there are good friends in New Orleans who’s work I assist in any way I can, who work for or study at a university. I’m referring to the academics that rotate in and out of our crisis.

When someone writes me asking for help with the Road Home, housing, or for a connection into the neighborhood organizations when they are a neighbor, I take the time to answer, as best I can. This is my mission.

However, someone who doesn’t have connections and is turning to me for connections, for the purpose of a paper, doesn’t motivate. That’s an email that sits in my inbox. Now, finally, it triggers the business sense that I’m struggling to develop.

Perhaps it’s common sense of some kind. (I have common sense, I just don’t listen to it.)

Tim Ryan of NOVAC sent me an email yesterday looking for technical assistance on a grant. I called immediately. A successful local nonprofit needs technology input to raise money. Common sense says that this is perfectly aligned with my professional objectives. Common sense says pick up the phone and call.

Fortunately, I have emails that are just that actionable, that I can place in contrast to the request to do public relations work for a research paper. An inbox is one imperative after another. It helps you tackle that inbox if you know how to say no to a bulk of those calls to action.

Getting over it, and going pro, means that you must realize that helping is not question of equity. Not every request needs to be fulfilled. You can tell when a request should be fulfilled, because it tugs on your sense of decency. That is the mission oriented stuff.

Otherwise, it’s all business. (Ergh. Something about that sentiment makes me wince. I am an approval junkie.)

At second glance, the academic seeks interviewees. In return, I’m offered the research for any projects. That sounds like doing work and in return I get more work.

I don’t know that we have time for more interviews that do not lead directly to material help for our recovery.

How do you decide to help an academic with their research?