Dear Susan,

The answer is actually quite straightforward—it’s because you’ve agreed to be there. 

Here’s a simple solution: Start saying “no”.

There was a time when my own calendar was so packed that I barely had time to manage my direct reports, let alone think strategically about our projects.

One day, after sitting through yet another “update” meeting that clearly should have been an email, it struck me: we were literally wasting money by having people, myself included, sitting around a table when we could have been accomplishing so much more.

I realized that I had been automatically treating my presence at these meetings as mandatory, without actually assessing their value to me or my team. So, I decided to make a change. I canceled all my meetings for the next two weeks, planning to only add back the ones that were absolutely necessary. This practice has become a bi-annual ritual I’ve stuck to ever since.

If you’re struggling to find time for your real work amid a sea of meetings, it’s time to start saying “no” to the non-essential ones.

Now you may not be in a position to just flat out cancel all your meetings like I did –but you certainly can reassess each meeting’s value and how well it aligns with your boss’s goals.  

If your boss keeps piling them on, it indicates a mismatch between your priorities and theirs, particularly in how you both perceive the value (or lack thereof) that these meetings add.

As is often the case, the best approach to tackling these kinds of disconnects is a one-on-one conversation. And yes, ironically this means setting up another meeting. 😆

That said, you’ll need to come prepared, with a blend of diplomacy (we are talking about your boss after all) and straightforward candor. Be honest, clear, and focused on finding solutions as you discuss the marathon of meetings.

Begin by taking a hard look at all your meetings for a week or two, including those recurring ones that sometimes outlast their purpose. 

My personal strategy involves categorizing meetings into three buckets: must-attend, could-attend, and don’t-need-to-attend. Ask yourself: Does my presence truly influence the outcome, or am I just there to stay “in the loop”?

This exercise will give you clear data points to bring to your boss, rather than just complaining about “too many meetings”.

When you have that candid yet polite conversation 🙂, explain how the current meeting load is affecting your job performance.

Specify: “I want to ensure I’m spending my time on what will move the needle most. Right now, my meeting schedule leaves me with little time to actually execute important tasks. Can we work together to prioritize where I can be most valuable?”

Incidentally, this is the kind of help most bosses love to give. 

Sincerely,