My calendar had stopped scaling with the team.
Reonomy's product and development groups had grown over the previous quarter. The agile framework we had been putting in place was taking hold, and people were getting more daily feedback and direction from their peers. I was proud of that progress.
My part needed a reset.
The old calendar had recurring 1:1 meetings scattered through it. Planning for the next year was starting, the company strategy was getting more focused, and my schedule had become super hectic. I still wanted people to get as much time from me as they needed without forcing everybody into the same meeting rhythm.
So I asked for the recurring 1:1s to be deleted.
In their place, I set a weekly office-hours block. Anybody who wanted time could book a slot, set the agenda, or just drop into the small meeting room where I would be sitting. People who needed immediate feedback could get it. People who did not want another meeting did not have to attend one out of habit.
Direct reports would also have regular goal reviews. We were moving toward OKRs, and I wanted individual goals to connect to the clearer company strategy. The form might change, but the progress check-ins would continue.
This came a month after I had paused a director search in favor of team leads. Both changes were attempts to fit the leadership structure to the team we actually had.
Office hours were not the only way in. If the block did not work, we could grab coffee or find another time to sit down. I would make the time.
The invitation was simple: book a slot, drop by, or ask for coffee. Just do not wait for the old recurring meeting to arrive.