Summary of "How To Manage Your Time Like a CEO"
Key Wellness Strategies, Self-Care Techniques, and Productivity Tips from How To Manage Your Time Like a CEO
Shift Focus from Time Management to Attention Management
Top CEOs don’t just manage time; they manage their attention to maximize productivity without burnout.
The 321 System
A framework to manage time and attention effectively based on your current role and situation.
1. Three Roles
-
Maker: Individual contributor focused on deep work and producing deliverables. Time management is about heads-down work and personal execution.
-
Marker: Mid-level role managing multiple priorities and a team. Focus shifts to reviewing, giving feedback, delegating, and building processes rather than doing everything yourself.
-
Multiplier: Senior leadership managing large teams and many responsibilities. The role is to recruit, orchestrate, align, and connect people. Focus on big-picture strategy rather than details.
Key insight: Mismanaging your role (e.g., micromanaging as a multiplier or delegating as a maker) leads to failure.
2. Two Zones
-
Wartime Zone: Crisis or high-pressure situations requiring hands-on involvement, rolling up sleeves, and direct control.
-
Peacetime Zone: Stable phases where you can step back and focus on strategy and delegation.
Key insight: Your current zone dictates your role and how you should manage your time and attention.
3. One Non-Negotiable
Identify the single most important thing only you can do that drives your mission forward. Focus your energy there and delegate everything else.
Example: The CEO focused on building relationships and articulating the mission, while delegating operational tasks.
Trust Management Over Time Management
Effective delegation is built on trust, not control. Leaders should:
- Review and coach rather than micromanage.
- Connect and provide context to unblock team members.
- Adjust delegation style based on team member experience:
- Newcomers: Work alongside them to build comfort.
- Intermediate: Guide closely and give clarity.
- Experts: Step back and provide context to unblock.
Key insight: Too much freedom for new hires leads to failure; too much micromanagement for experts causes turnover.
Practical Actions to Apply
- Define your current role (Maker, Marker, or Multiplier).
- Identify your current zone (Wartime or Peacetime).
- Write down your one non-negotiable task.
- Delegate one repeatable task this week to build trust and free up your time.
Overall Principle
You cannot control time, only steward it. Good time management creates space for what truly matters—joy, happiness, and personal fulfillment.
Presenters / Sources
- The main presenter is a CEO, board member, and investor (name not provided).
- References to notable figures:
- Taylor Swift (example of evolving roles)
- Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk (examples of managing attention)
- Marshall Goldsmith (quote on habits)
- Brian Chesky (Airbnb founder, example of zone shifts)
- Steve Jobs and Jony Ive (example of trust management in delegation)
Category
Wellness and Self-Improvement
