THE ONE THING

1. How to Kill 40% of Your Meetings

Meeting bloat is still the number-one drag on focus.

A multi-company study from MIT Sloan Management Review found nearly half of companies cut meetings by 40% by instituting two no-meeting days per week, with gains in productivity, autonomy, and satisfaction.

Here’s how to implement the 2 no-meeting days in your organization:

1. Name the two days.

2. Mass-cancel recurring meetings on those days.

3. Whitelist true exceptions (customer emergencies, regulatory reviews).

4. Enforce a “docs-first, async-first” rule for status and decisions.

5. Revisit metrics (focus time, cycle time, sentiment) after four weeks.

NEW TREND

2. Gen Z’s “Conscious Unbossing” is a Leadership Shift

Gen Z isn’t rejecting work. They’re rejecting traditional management.

According to Business Insider, a growing number of young professionals are opting out of becoming “the boss,” a movement dubbed conscious unbossing.

They value autonomy, meaningful projects, and balanced lives over promotions that come with direct-report headaches.

This shift could leave leadership pipelines thin if organizations don’t adapt.

But it’s also an opportunity: by creating non-hierarchical leadership paths (like project leads, mentors, or culture champions), companies can harness Gen Z’s drive without forcing them into roles they don’t want.

The takeaway

Redesign leadership tracks. Give people ways to lead through expertise and influence, not just direct reporting lines.

WORDS I LIKE

3. Steve Jobs on the Most Important Job of a CEO

Watch the full video of him talking about the importance of hiring the right people here:

THE 80/20

4. An 80/20 Tip You Can Apply Today

Here’s a low-effort, high-impact tip you can use with your team today:

• What: End every meeting with this simple question: “Who owns what by when?”

• Why: This prevents vague action items and ensures accountability

• Example:
  ❌ “Let’s follow up on this next week.”
  ✅ “John will send the revised proposal by Tuesday at 3 PM ET.”