Siemens CEO Roland Busch has 7 strategies for getting things done — including 2-letter emails

Roland Busch. Siemens

Roland Busch, the CEO of Siemens, manages a complex schedule with over 300,000 employees worldwide.

He simplifies problem-solving with skills he built up through a background in physics.

He doesn't waste time writing emails; very often, his entire reply is simply "OK" or "No."

Roland Busch has a lot competing for his attention.

As CEO of Siemens, Busch leads more than 300,000 employees. He gets about 200 emails a day, spends his afternoons in back-to-back meetings, and travels so frequently that he estimates he flies roughly the distance to the moon and back each year.

Busch told Business Insider in  his recent Power Hours interview  that his background in theoretical physics has influenced his approach to the complexity of his job. He tries to strip problems down to what matters and eliminate unnecessary work wherever he can.

That philosophy shows up throughout his daily routine, which strongly resonated with our readers. He keeps his emails short, doesn't schedule recurring meetings with his direct reports, and has developed rules that help him maintain his routine, even when he's traveling.

We asked ChatGPT to pinpoint seven of Busch's best rules for getting things done. It turns out, other CEOs use them, too.

1. Keep your inbox below 100 emails

Busch gets about 200 emails a day, but he tries to keep fewer than 100 messages in his inbox at any given time. Once the number climbs above 100, he finds it harder to see what actually requires his attention. He responds to messages quickly rather than letting them pile up.

He's not the only Power Hours subject with a strict approach to his inbox. Jim Holthouser, the CEO of GoTo Foods , told Business Insider that he describes himself as an "inbox-zero person." Holthouser said that if he doesn't clear his email before bed, he doesn't sleep well.

2. Use as few words as possible in your replies

Busch doesn't spend much time crafting elaborate email responses. Very often, his entire reply is simply "OK" or "No."

He said his team is accustomed to communicating this way. When he does need to send a longer response, he sometimes dictates it while walking through the office.

3. Don't schedule meetings just to schedule meetings

Busch doesn't have recurring meetings with his direct reports. Instead, he asks them to come to him when they actually need him. Depending on what's happening, that could mean meeting five times in one week, or once in an entire month.

"I don't need to entertain people, and they don't need to entertain me," Busch told Business Insider. The arrangement means meetings are driven by what needs to get done rather than by a standing calendar invitation.

Robert Rosenkranz, the founder of Delphi Capital Management , has a similar approach — he told us that he doesn't attend unnecessary meetings and is quick to reject demands on his time that don't align with his priorities.

4. Strip complicated problems down to what really matters

Before becoming a business leader, Busch studied theoretical physics, and that training continues to shape his decision-making.

CEOs routinely have to make calls without having complete information, he said. His approach is to "de-layer" the problem by separating its core issues from everything less important. Once he's identified the variables that really matter, he has a better chance of making the right decision.

It's a skill he has had plenty of opportunities to practice. During his 32 years at Siemens, Busch said he was repeatedly put in charge of turnarounds and troubled businesses — experiences that taught him that seemingly intractable problems eventually get solved.

5. Eliminate decisions you can make ahead of time

Busch's efforts to remove friction from his day begin before he goes to sleep. His alarm rings at 6 a.m., and he aims to be in the gym by 6:30 a.m., so he lays out his T-shirt and shorts the night before. When he wakes up, he just puts them on and goes.

Similarly, Walmart's chief people officer, Donna Morris , told Business Insider that she sometimes starts deciding what she'll wear for the week as early as Sunday night. Liz Plosser, the former editor in chief of Women's Health , prepares her coffee the night before.

6. Create a protocol for situations you encounter over and over

Busch travels extensively for his job, but he doesn't let changing time zones disrupt his routine. He's developed different rules depending on which direction he's flying.

When traveling west, Busch tries to stay awake on the plane or limits himself to a one- or two-hour nap. His goal is to arrive tired enough to sleep through the night in his new time zone. When traveling east, he tries to take a night flight and sleep as much as possible.

Similarly, ClassPass CEO Fritz Lanman told Business Insider that maintaining a strict routine while traveling is one of his three life hacks for success. When he's on the road, Lanman uses ClassPass to find workouts at gyms and studios in whatever city he's visiting.

Avaline CEO Jennifer Purcell takes a more prescriptive approach to jet lag: She told Business Insider she asks ChatGPT to create a schedule telling her when to drink caffeine, nap, stay awake, and get sunlight while traveling.

7. Find something that forces your brain to leave work behind

For all his focus on efficiency, Busch also has a rule for switching off. During the week, his work can stretch late into the evening as he catches up on email, prepares for the next day, and connects with teams in other time zones.

Recently, he returned to playing guitar after putting the instrument down for decades. He said even playing for 20 minutes can completely change his mood.

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck uses a strikingly similar strategy. Beck described himself to Business Insider as an "active relaxer," meaning he needs to do something to de-stress. His favorite activity is flying a helicopter. When Beck is flying, he said he has to shut everything else o...

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