Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work and Life5 Feb 2024

Strategy and Productivity: Making Time for What Matters Most with Richard Medcalf

This week it was my pleasure to welcome Richard Medcalf to the show for a discussion about his book, Making Time for Strategy: How to Be Less Busy and More Successful. Richard describes himself as "what you get if you were to put a McKinsey consultant, a slightly unorthodox pastor and an entrepreneur into a blender". He is the founder of Xquadrant, which helps elite leaders reinvent their 'success formula' and multiply their impact. His personal clients include CEOs of billion-dollar corporations, successful serial entrepreneurs, and the founders of tech 'unicorns'.

Richard has advised the C-Suite for over 25 years. After a Masters at Oxford University, where he came top in his year, he joined a premier strategy consultancy and later became the youngest-ever Partner. He then spent 11 years at tech giant Cisco in an elite team reporting to the CEO. In this episode, we uncover the power of strategic leadership, time allocation, and the impact of energizing activities on productivity. Richard shares real client success stories and practical tactics to move beyond mere task management and into deep strategic thinking.

In addition, Richard and I explore the pitfalls of being overwhelmed by daily tasks, the transformative power of taking time for rest and reflection, and the shift from task orientation to strategic planning. Richard offers listeners practical insights and actionable tactics to guide you towards more effective time management and lasting success.

________________________________________

Connect with Richard:

Website

Book

Free Assessment & Resources

Twitter

________________________________________

Connect with Erik:

Facebook

Instagram and Threads

________________________________________

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(598)

Time Management: Trading Time Scarcity for Abundance with Laura Vanderkam

Time management and time abundance are at the center of this conversation with Laura Vanderkam, bestselling author and time-use researcher.Laura Vanderkam has spent over a decade studying how people a...

6 Juli 45min

Team Habits: How Small Actions Create Better Teams and Better Work with Charlie Gilkey

I’m excited to revisit this conversation with Charlie Gilkey on his book, Team Habits: How Small Actions Lead to Extraordinary Results. Charlie is the founder of Productive Flourishing, a company that...

3 Juni 46min

Mentoring: What Most People Get Wrong and How to Do It Right with Claire Diaz-Ortiz

I'm excited to revisit this conversation with Claire Diaz-Ortiz discussing her book, One Minute Mentoring, co-authored with legendary leadership expert Ken Blanchard. Claire is a keynote speaker, auth...

19 Maj 36min

Social Media Detox: How to Take a Break from Digital Overload and Get Your Focus Back

What happens when you delete every app off your phone for 21 days? In this solo episode, Erik shares what he discovered during a Christmas break internet break — and what the research says about why s...

7 Maj 26min

Retreat Rhythms: Monthly, Quarterly, and Annual Practices for Renewal with John Drury

I’m excited to welcome back my good friend Dr. John Drury for part two of our conversation on the rule of life and how ancient practices can help us live and work with more intention. John is a New Te...

21 Apr 48min

Rule of Life: How Ancient Practices Can Transform Your Productivity and Rest with John Drury

I'm excited to revisit this conversation I had with John Drury to the show to discuss how ancient spiritual practices can reshape the way we approach productivity, rhythm, and life itself. John is a p...

15 Apr 43min

Productivity Without Burnout: Executing with Agency Instead of Illusion of Control

Welcome to the first episode of 2026! If you’re feeling that “new year, new me” pressure: goals, plans, fresh calendars, the whole thing—this one’s for you. Because when life inevitably punches your p...

8 Jan 20min

Productivity A to Z 2025: Letters N Through Z with Mike Vardy

I’m excited to welcome Mike Vardy back to Beyond The To-Do List for one of our ongoing traditions: Productivity A-Z!This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation — and we split it across both shows. Part ...

30 Dec 202558min