Lighten the Load: Slim Down Your Meetings to Amp up Your Productivity

On the Camino de Santiago, every step teaches you something new, and one of the most profound lessons I learned in my first few days, is that you go further and faster when you lighten your backpack.

When I first started my journey, I had everything I thought I’d need - a fully packed bag ready to face any challenge. Even some fellow pilgrims nicknamed me 'The Aussie Scout'. But as the kilometres passed, I quickly realised that many of the items I’d packed were not only unnecessary but were slowing me down. Every extra gram felt like a kilo by the end of the day. In the days that followed, the lighter I travelled, the more efficient and enjoyable the journey became.

The Lighter the Load, The Smoother the Journey

This experience on the Camino is a perfect metaphor for how we lead, especially when it comes to meetings. Just as carrying unnecessary items weighs you down physically, attending unnecessary meetings can weigh down your productivity and effectiveness. At times we may feel compelled to be part of every conversation, attend every meeting, be across every bit of detail, and make our presence known in every decision. But what if we approached our calendars the same way I learned to approach my backpack... only carry what’s absolutely necessary?

Harvard Business Review article Stop the Meeting Madness: How to Free Up Time for Meaningful Work discusses the burden of meeting overload, suggesting that executives can spend up to 23 hours a week in meetings, often without clear outcomes.

One of My Earliest Mentors...

One of my early mentors ingrained in me a powerful lesson: never attend a meeting without an agenda. He believed, and proved, that unless there was a clear purpose and outcomes planned, his time was better spent elsewhere. "If it’s just information sharing," he said, "you can send an email." It was a simple yet effective rule that ensured he used his time wisely, avoiding the weight of unnecessary gatherings. I’ve carried this approach into my leadership roles, and it’s helped me become more focused, efficient, and intentional with my time.

When to Say No to a Meeting

Earlier this year, I challenged myself to revisit my past mentor's heed, to bring this discipline back in step (pardon the pun), before attending (or organising) a next meeting:

1. Check for an Agenda: No agenda? A clear agenda indicates preparation and intent, while its absence is often a red flag that the meeting might not be the best use of everyone's time.
2. Clarify the Outcomes: What are the expected results? If the purpose of the meeting is just information sharing, consider an email FYI update.
3. Who Else is Attending? If other team members are attending and can handle it, consider skipping the meeting. Trust your team to keep things moving and brief you on key outcomes. Delegate, don’t duplicate!
4. Ask Yourself: Do I Add Value? Before accepting that invite, think about your role in the meeting. If you aren’t adding value or making a decision, your time might be better spent elsewhere.
5. Be Strategic: Review your priorities. How does this meeting fit into your most pressing goals? If it doesn’t help drive your mission forward, perhaps it’s not a priority.

Lighten the Load to Move Faster

Just like walking the Camino, where I quickly realised that carrying unnecessary items slowed me down, attending unnecessary meetings can slow down your productivity and that of your team. By taking a more selective approach to meetings, you’ll not only be more effective, but you’ll also empower your team to step up and take ownership when you're not in the room.

The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. - Stephen Covey

As leadership expert Stephen Covey said, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” When we lighten the load, whether that’s in our backpacks or on our calendars, we free ourselves to focus on what truly matters.

So, as you reflect on your upcoming week, consider this: What can you take out of your 'backpack' to make room for the things that will help you go further, faster? Lighten the load, focus on what truly matters, and empower your team to stretch (and take some of the weight off your shoulders).

All the best for the week ahead, reviewing your calendar as you would your Camino backpack, ditch the unnecessary meetings and see how much further you and your team can go...

#ElevateYourLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #EffectiveMeetings #LightenYourLoad #LeadershipGrowth #MeetingEfficiency #DelegateMore #FocusOnWhatMatters