In short: a CEO's time management begins with the decision to manage the day rather than be dragged along by it. Block fixed hours in your diary for management work only — no interruptions, no fielding queries — and delegate everything else to staff or suppliers. At the end of each week, ask which two actions genuinely moved the business forward; if all you did was firefight, it is time to pass authority on.
Plenty of managers start the day chasing their own tail.
Between solving problems with suppliers and answering questions from staff, the day ends without a single step towards the strategic goals of the business.
The managerial problem
The mistake managers make is letting the day-to-day manage them instead of managing the day-to-day.
When you are available for every small interruption, you are administering a business rather than leading it forward, and your vision gets pushed aside.
The modern management answer
Time management built around core work. The world's leading companies understand that the CEO's time is the most valuable there is.
They would rather spend most of it on business development, innovation and oversight, and delegate everything else.
A resilient business is one where the CEO looks ahead instead of constantly looking at the floor.
💡 Putting it into practice: moving from reactive to strategic
Blocking time in the diary
- The old way — an open diary for anyone who wants it, answering non-urgent calls and handling day-to-day matters all day long.
- The way the big players do it — pre-allocated hours for management work only, with no interruptions and no answering customers or staff.
Measuring effectiveness rather than activity
- The action — at the end of each week, ask yourself: which two things I did this week moved the business forward? If the answer is only firefighting, you need to pass authority on to your people or your suppliers.
