Ever noticed how the most capable managers end up drowning in work that isn’t theirs? This episode of A Job Done Well dives into the maddening cycle of overworked employees who absorb tasks like a sponge—only to realise they’ve become the bottleneck, the scapegoat, and the office’s unofficial problem-solver. Jimmy Barber and James Lawther dissect why good managers fall into this trap: the ego boost of being the "heavy lifter," the fear of short-term chaos, and the delusion that this time the extra effort will be appreciated.

From budgeting processes that mysteriously become your job forever to stepping in for incompetent bosses, they expose the absurdity of corporate "reward" systems where doing a great job just means more work. But it’s not all doom—there’s a way out. The duo offers sharp, practical advice: pause before saying yes, make the invisible work visible, and resist the urge to rescue everything. Because let’s face it, if the world falls apart without you, you’ve already failed.

Five key points:

• Capable managers absorb work like a black hole—because no one else will (or can).
• The "hero complex" feels good in the short term, but it’s a one-way ticket to burnout.
• Once you do it once, it’s yours forever—(welcome to the budgeting process).
• The opportunity cost of being the office fixer: your actual job suffers.
• The solution? Be intentional, teach others, and ask: What’s in it for me?

Got a question - get in touch. Click here.