When You’re the Executive Everyone Relies On—and You’re Burning Out

After a recent team meeting, one of my clients made a pointed observation. Marian, a senior executive at a private research university, joked that just locking eyes with her boss was enough to get a new assignment. Beneath the humor, though, was real frustration. Her boss kept singling her out for extra work—not because her peers weren’t capable, but because Marian was known for getting things done. That reliability was now pushing her toward burnout.