Nine Ceos Share Their Strategies for Managing Time

WHO:

Fast Company - The nine CEOs who described their time use were Constantine Alexandrakis of Russell Reynolds Associates (RRA), Kelly Cook of David’s Bridal, Mary Ellen Coyne of J.Jill, Vimal Kapur of Honeywell Technologies, Raj Mehra of Sage, Brieane Olson of Pacsun, Tyler Perry of Mission North, René Saúl of Kapital, and Job van der Voort of Remote.

Fast Company - Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures, introduced the Modern CEO newsletter and invited CEOs to share how they spend their time.

Fast Company - Nitin Nohria and Michael Porter of Harvard Business School conducted a more rigorous study of CEO time, using executive assistants to code executives’ time.

WHAT:

Fast Company - Across almost all respondents, direct reports and senior leadership ranked first or second for CEO attention.

Fast Company - Olson said about 30% of her time goes to leadership, including one-on-ones, weekly meetings, and strategic discussions.

Fast Company - Perry estimated that about 25% of her time goes to coaching direct reports and leadership meetings, and another 25% to “new business, networking, and thought leadership.”

Fast Company - Cook said about 30% of her time goes to direct reports and the executive team, mostly in back-to-back 15- and 30-minute meetings.

Fast Company - Saúl said 50% of his time goes to “engaging direct reports and their teams across every level and division of the business,” describing his approach as “very hands-on.”

Fast Company - Kapur said about 40% of his time goes to customers and partners; Mehra said he spends about 40% with customers and the same amount with his team.

Fast Company - Alexandrakis said customers and external stakeholders account for about 30% of his time.

Fast Company - Most respondents set aside 5% to 15% of their time for reading, reflection, or unstructured thinking. Coyne said she spends 15% on reflection and exploration; Perry estimated 15% for reflection.

Fast Company - Van der Voort said roughly 50% or more of his time goes to building and exploring, including making things with Claude.

Fast Company - Olson said AI helps synthesize information, analyze business performance, prepare for meetings, and understand organizational insights. Cook said AI has shortened the time between analysis and decision.

Inc - The article says nine CEOs shared how they manage their time, highlighting their prioritization of direct reports, customers, and deep thinking.

WHERE:

Fast Company - Respondents represented businesses in retail, technology, healthcare, and professional services, including private firms and large-cap public companies.

Fast Company - Perry said some of her best thinking happens at her son’s lacrosse games, while driving to a soccer game, or on the train into the city.

WHY:

Fast Company - Kapur said customer time keeps him “honest about the business” and lets him test ideas before major product or acquisition decisions.

Fast Company - Mehra said a company supporting caregivers should make its own employees feel “seen and valued.”

Fast Company - Alexandrakis said AI may help CEOs decide whether calendars reflect work only they can do, conversations requiring their judgment, and time to think about what comes next.

HOW:

Fast Company - Kapur said he meets customers in the field alongside sales teams; Mehra brings a notebook instead of a laptop to give meeting participants his full attention.

Fast Company - Coyne brings her executive team together outside regular meetings to challenge assumptions, explore ideas, and consider the business’s future.

Fast Company - The Harvard Business School study coded CEO time in 15-minute increments, 24 hours a day, seven days a week; it found CEOs spent about 3% of their time with customers, a finding participants considered “dismaying.”

(UPDATED October 26, 2026 12:48 UTC)

Nine CEOs across industries say leading their teams and spending time with customers dominate their schedules, while most reserve 5% to 15% for reading, reflection, or unstructured thinking. Their approaches vary: one CEO devotes half his time to direct reports and their teams, while others spend about 40% with customers, and several say AI helps them analyze performance, prepare for meetings, and make decisions faster. A Harvard Business School study that tracked executives in 15-minute increments found CEOs spent only about 3% of their time with customers, a result participants called dismaying.