Siemens CEO keeps his inbox below 100 with 2-letter replies—and has no recurring meetings with direct reports: ‘I don’t need to entertain people’

Roland Busch, the CEO of Siemens, maintains a highly efficient approach to managing his email and time. He aims to keep his inbox under 100 messages, responding quickly with brief replies like "OK" or "No." Rather than scheduling recurring meetings with his direct reports, Busch keeps his door open and encourages his executives to visit him whenever needed.

This strategy allows him to avoid the inefficient practice of "entertaining" people during meetings. Busch, who joined Siemens in 1994 and became CEO in 2021, attributes his leadership style to his Ph.D. in physics and early research experience at the company. He believes physics helped him prioritize core issues when faced with incomplete or ambiguous information, enabling more effective decision-making as a CEO.