Join Vistage Master Chair Tom Cuthbert in this episode of the ChairLife podcast. Tom offers actionable strategies for building a successful Vistage Chair practice by mastering time management. He shares his proven approach to structuring daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly schedules, emphasizing the importance of guarding time to balance mission-driven work with personal well-being. From setting boundaries to prioritizing high-impact tasks, he provides a blueprint for Chairs to lead with intention and impact. In the "Tom’s Tips & Tricks" segment, Tom challenges the value of lunch meetings, advocating for more focused alternatives to optimize productivity. Whether you’re a Vistage Chair, CEO, or coach, this episode equips you with tools to streamline your practice and serve your members effectively.

Show Notes

Introduction: Tom welcomes listeners to ChairLife, outlining the episode’s focus on scheduling and its role in a balanced, impactful Vistage practice.

Scheduling Success: Guarding Your Time: Inspired by Peter Drucker’s wisdom, Tom explains why he blocks non-work time first to manage himself effectively.

Daily and Weekly Rhythms: Tom details his one-to-one and group meeting days, highlighting how consistency creates predictability for him and his members.

Monthly and Yearly Planning: Learn how Tom plans months and years by prioritizing non-work periods, ensuring long-term clarity and flexibility.

Setting Boundaries and Prioritizing: Tom discusses how boundaries and a prioritized schedule, managed with his chief of staff, keep his focus on what matters most.

Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Rethinking Lunch Meetings: Tom critiques lunch meetings and offers alternatives for better productivity and focus.

Conclusion: A call to action for Chairs to block time, build rhythms, and ditch lunch meetings to enhance their practice and member experience.

Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Rethinking Lunch Meetings

Tom dives into why lunch meetings hinder productivity and offers practical alternatives:

Time Cost: Lunches take 60–90 minutes versus 45-minute breakfasts or 30-minute coffee meetings; a 20-minute call saves even more time.

Distractions: Noise and interruptions disrupt focus, especially on confidential topics critical to Vistage work.

Privacy and Expense: Close tables compromise trust, and lunches cost $30–$50 compared to $5–$10 for coffee.

Energy Impact: Heavy meals drain afternoon energy, while morning meetings (25% more productive, per Harvard Business School) keep you sharp.

Alternative: Host in the office with ordered-in food for privacy, focus, and efficiency—a “fortress of focus” for meaningful conversations.

Resources

Explore these resources for additional insights and tools to support your Vistage Chair practice:

www.tomcuthbert.com

www.chairlifepodcast.com

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11Sgmyhjq7WDAKtP3ZhU-xycUrLWt64uV_aNnl21sm38/edit?usp=sharing