The Counterintuitive Skill That Helps CEOs Scale, According to Christinecarrillo

In a recent LinkedIn post, Christinecarrillo discusses a common misconception among CEOs about how to achieve success, arguing that the pursuit of long hours can be detrimental to building a sustainable business. Instead, she highlights the power of “doing less” as a critical skill that outranks traditional strategy.

Christinecarrillo challenges the notion that exhaustive workdays are a badge of honor, stating:

“You think long hours are how you get ahead. They’re the fastest way I’ve watched CEOs lose the company they built.”

The post details the pitfalls of a culture of overwork, citing examples like 14-hour days, cleared inboxes at midnight, and work-dominated vacations. According to Christinecarrillo, exhaustion is not a sign of commitment but rather an indicator of an underdeveloped skill.

The Power of Strategic Reduction

Christinecarrillo asserts that by intentionally adopting a strategy of “doing less,” CEOs can significantly outperform their peers. She outlines three core principles for achieving this:

Prioritizing Focus: Saying No Strategically

A key tenet of Christinecarrillo’s advice is the importance of selective commitment. She advises leaders to be highly discerning about their engagements, suggesting:

“If it isn’t a hell yes, it’s a distraction.”

This approach helps to filter out non-essential tasks and opportunities that can divert energy and resources from core objectives.

Effective Delegation: Trusting Your Team

Another critical element is the ability to delegate effectively. Christinecarrillo argues that tasks which can be accomplished at least 80% as well by someone else should be delegated. Crucially, she emphasizes the importance of then allowing the delegated task to be completed without excessive oversight.

Rest as a Competitive Advantage

Perhaps the most counterintuitive point made by Christinecarrillo is the value of sleep. She posits that adequate rest is not a luxury but a necessity for optimal decision-making. As Christinecarrillo notes,

“Sleep more than your competition. Your best decisions need a rested brain.”

This contrasts sharply with the common image of a CEO operating on minimal sleep, which she suggests is a model that no one would willingly hire for themselves.

The Benefits of a Less-Exhausted CEO

Christinecarrillo elaborates on the tangible benefits that stem from this “doing less” philosophy. A business can continue to function effectively even when the CEO is not actively involved, fostering resilience and scalability. Furthermore, a rested mind is better equipped to identify emerging trends and make sharper, more considered decisions, rather than reactive ones driven by frantic energy.

She concludes by framing this approach not as a compromise on success, but as a path to a sustainable version of it—one that doesn’t rely on the CEO’s personal exhaustion. Christinecarrillo challenges leaders to consider whether they would hire a CEO who consistently operates on four hours of sleep, implying that they should not embody that persona themselves.