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How do I get my boss to schedule less meetings?
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Hey there, I recently opened up my team coaching spots for 2025, and I only have two spots left for January. If you'd like to increase communication and collaboration on your remote team, reply to this email, and I'll send you the details! Now, back to our Q&A series, where I answer popular remote work questions, explain why common advice doesn’t work, and share what I recommend instead. Reply to this email if you have a question you'd like me to cover next! TLDR below 👇 | Read this on the web | Subscribe I’d love to switch to async-first work, but I’m a software engineer who doesn’t have much control over my calendar. I have so many meetings that it’s a struggle to fit in dev work. How do I say no to meetings and get my manager on board with async communication? I’m sorry this has fallen on your plate—it really shouldn’t be. It’s a manager’s job to shield their team from unnecessary distractions, not create them. But I get this question a lot, so you’re definitely not alone. The usual “just say no” advice is laughable because who really says no to a boss’s request for a meeting? Instead, we have to take a strategic approach that utilizes two manager favorites: data and questions. Step 1: Track Your ScheduleSpend at least one workweek tracking everything you do. This includes both meetings, responding to Slack/email, and focused work so you can show exactly where your time is going. Step 2: Document Responsibilities and RequestsCompile a list of your regular responsibilities along with specific requests from your manager. This list will provide context when discussing your workload. Make sure you display how much time you have outside of meetings/Slack pings to complete this work. Step 3: Review with Your ManagerIn your next 1:1 with your manager, bring up your findings. You might start with something like: “I’ve been looking for ways to do my best work, but I’m struggling to fit everything in. Here’s a breakdown of my schedule from last week, along with the requests and responsibilities I had. Can we review this together to identify areas where I could create more space for focused work?” Make it as visual as possible. Example: Highlight in red the in-between time where you have meeting lulls, but not long enough to hit a stride and get real work done. Step 4: Propose SolutionsStart with the question above and let your manager lead with solutions, but also come prepared with one or two suggestions of your own. Identify recurring meetings or tasks that could potentially be handled asynchronously. This resource will help you pinpoint which recurring meeting issue your team is running into and specific action items that solve them. Choose one or two to get started with. Step 5: Suggest a Trial PeriodIf there’s hesitation around making changes, propose a short trial period (ex. 4 weeks). At the end of the trial, you can check in to discuss the impact. This allows you and your manager to test new approaches with less commitment. Of the people I’ve coached who’ve used this trial period advice, 100% of them never reversed the change. Change can be scary, though. A temporary shift feels less daunting and provides a chance to see the benefits in action. It’s challenging to reduce meeting overload without calendar influence, but not impossible. Start with this strategic approach to help you advocate for fewer meetings and more async work without overstepping. TLDRStruggling to fit in deep work with endless meetings? Take a strategic approach and bring the data: track your workweek and asks, review with your manager, propose async solutions, and suggest a trial period. Advocate for fewer meetings and more focus time - without overstepping Quote of the WeekIf you just communicate, you can get by. But if you communicate skillfully, you can work miracles. - Jim Rohn In Other News
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