Inbox ownership is not reading every message—it is routing, drafting, and escalating with clear rules. The goal is that only decisions and relationships that need you reach you.
Define labels or folders for action, waiting, FYI, and archive—and decide who moves what. Your EA should know the difference between a thread you must see and one they can close.
Capture your voice in a short style guide: greeting, sign-off, how firm to be on scheduling, and when to loop in others. Drafts get faster every week after that.
Close the loop on follow-ups. A weekly sweep of open asks prevents the silent failures that make leaders feel they have to stay in every thread.