Episode 109: The Strategic No

He said yes to 11 initiatives. His flagship slipped twice. Maya and Marcus make the case that “no” is a promotion skill: 94% of professionals work 50+ hours a week, context-switching costs up to 40% of productive time, and overcommitment directly predicts burnout. Three moves: pause before every yes, tie every no to a strategic yes, and publish a Not Doing List. Tom’s story — from scattered VP to focused leader who shipped three big bets.