You take on too much because it feels faster than delegating.
Olly Overload was the hardest worker in the room—and that was the problem.
When someone needed help, he’d say “I’ve got it.”
When deadlines loomed, he’d mutter “I’ll just do it myself.”
When his to-do list exploded, he’d push through—working late, skipping breaks, running on fumes.
One night, at 11:47 PM, Olly was still in the office, eyes burning, fixing a report his colleague should have finished.
He stretched, glanced at his phone—and saw a message from his boss.
“Hey Olly, appreciate all your hard work! Quick question—why is no one else stepping up?”
Olly frowned. No one else?
That’s when it hit him.
He had trained his team not to step up—because he never let them.
The next morning, Olly tried something new.
When a colleague asked for help, instead of jumping in, he asked:
“What’s your plan for handling this?”
His colleague hesitated, then came up with a solution. And guess what? It worked.
That week, Olly delegated one small task. Then another. And another.
And for the first time in years—he left work on time.
Olly finally understood: Being a leader doesn’t mean doing more. It means making sure the right things get done—by the right people.
From then on, he made a new rule: If someone else can do it, let them. If they can learn it, teach them. If it’s not essential, drop it.
Because real leaders don’t just work harder—they lead smarter.
You take on too much because it feels faster than delegating.
You’re constantly overwhelmed, limiting your ability to lead effectively.
Start delegating small tasks and coaching others instead of overloading yourself.
“What you are doing is not good… You are not able to do it alone.”— Exodus 18:17-18
John Michael