When Enough Becomes Too Much

I often feel uneasy about the excess food that goes untouched at meetings - especially board meetings.

In an effort to cover all bases for board members with different dietary preferences, I tend to "over-cater": A carefully curated continental breakfast, an array of snacks and savories, a full lunch spread, and then an elaborate dinner in a private dining room at a thoughtfully chosen restaurant.

Yet the reality is: High-performing leaders cannot overindulge without affecting their energy and focus. The result is predictable - much of the food is only lightly touched, leaving behind an abundance of waste.

This comes at a steep cost. Catering usually runs US500-$700 per meal, packaged in ways that make it difficult to repurpose. It begs the question: do we really need so much?

Through conversations, I discover that many executives embrace intermittent fasting or a lighter lifestyle. Perhaps the better path is simple: Ask what is truly needed. Coffee and fruit? Eggs and bacon? A straightforward option per person, instead of an overwhelming spread,

as long as it's within the manageable headcount.

In practice, this is not easy. With everything else that leads up to a board meeting, food often becomes a box to tick - and I take on the responsibility of creating a seamless experience. That pursuit of completeness makes excess almost inevitable.

Still, as I look at the trays of uneaten meals, I can't help but feel it deeply. I think of famine in other parts of the world, and I wonder about the imbalance - too much here, too little there.

It makes me question my own choices: In trying so hard to give everyone everything, am I really giving what matters most? Or am I just feeding the habit of excess, when enough would have been just right...