The Leadership Tax

I was talking with a new client last week. At one point she said:

"I don't understand why I'm not moving forward."

She started walking me through her week.

Helping a colleague with a project.

Stepping into a meeting at the last minute.

Covering for someone who was away.

Showing a new hire the ropes.

A few other things I'd already forgotten by then. And then she said:

"Honestly, everything seems to land on my desk."

I laughed.

Not at her.

Just because she'd answered her own question without realizing it.

WHAT

The thing nobody talks about is that being easy to work with comes with a cost.

Not immediately but over time.

A project here. A favour there.

A meeting someone needs you in. A problem someone knows you'll solve.

None of those things feel important on their own.

But eventually you look around and realize you're involved in almost everything.

That's usually when women start feeling stretched.

And stuck.

WHY

Something I’ve noticed in almost two decades of my career…

The women who get trusted with the most often assume they're being prepared for what's next.

Sometimes they are.

Sometimes they're just becoming the safest person to give more work to.

But here’s the challenge:

One creates growth. The other creates dependency.

And dependency has a way of disguising itself as opportunity.

HOW

If you're reading this and thinking,

"Well, somebody has to do it..."

That's usually what my clients say too :)

The interesting question isn't whether the work needs to be done.

It's whether you're still the right person to be doing it.

A lot of high-achieving women are still proving things nobody is questioning anymore.

They keep proving they're reliable, committed and helpful.

Meanwhile, the people making decisions about their future have already decided those things and the conversation has moved on.

The question isn't:

"Can she handle it?"

It's:

"What does she create when she's operating at her highest level?"

And those are very different questions.

Sometimes the work that's keeping you busy is the same work that's keeping you where you are.

If this felt like a reflection of your current chapter, spend a few minutes looking at your calendar with fresh eyes this week.

Sometimes the thing slowing your growth isn't a lack of opportunity.

It's the amount of energy being spent carrying work that no longer belongs to your next level.

And if you're navigating that shift right now, that's exactly the kind of conversation we have inside ASCEND.

Until next week,

Jaspreet