Why is that ?

It’s because of OB. OB is Organisational Bullshit. It’s meetings, alignments, papers, pre reads, pre alignment meetings before the meetings, catch up and update calls, reviews. Things that take our time but often have very little to show for output. Things we do because we are asked to but not because we need to do.

As leaders its our moral and leadership responsibility to cut the OB. How can we do this for us, for our colleagues and for teams

1. Cut Your Meetings by half – how many meetings are you calling for and how can you cut these by half. From daily to weekly to bi weekly to monthly. Which ones can be covered with a short email update or phone call ? which ones can be deleted completely ?

2. Cut Your Boss and Super Boss meetings by half – Speak to them. Explain how you want to free up time to grow business. Propose to them to cut their meetings by half or eliminate. Can you replace some meetings with an email update or phone call ?

3. Every Sunday Delete Meetings  for the next week – Aim to delete 5 to 10 meetings or invites you get. Get out of every ‘FYI’ meeting. Get out of every update meeting where you can read a deck and learn what is going to happen

4. Stand Up meetings – if you want to meet to discuss a topic try stand up. Go to the room keep standing. You will find the decision will be taken in 15-20 minutes and be over. Very few people can do long stand up meetings

5. Outlook standard time 30 minutes – instead of the standard 1 hour invites learn to send 30 minute invites. The same work will be done faster and decisions taken

6. List all the OB – what else is useless, waste of time, less useful, bureaucractic ? cut it

This is not easy and you have to constantly do it. For yourself and your for your teams.

Don’t be a victim of OB. 

Free your time and energy to make impact.

Liberate your work life.