Excellence Is Not An Endless Resource

This question is as much for me as it is for anyone else: as leaders, do we “reward” those in our teams who get the work done—and done well, let me add—with, well, just more work?

On the surface, this does seem like the natural order of things—the most reliable person in the room is the one we’d turn to when something requires action. They don’t miss details, they don’t drop deadlines, and they don’t need constant oversight, and so, naturally, they become the default choice when something important needs doing. The problem, though, is when “default” becomes “permanent.”

Of course, it makes sense that in performance-driven environments, responsibility gravitates toward proven capability. But if that dynamic goes unchecked, remember that the weight of work doesn’t spread; it settles on the same “high performers,” and over time, the uneven load can wear down even the strongest among them.

We often measure excellence by what gets delivered. But delivery depends on energy, focus, and time—all of which are limited. Being able to take on more is not the same as needing to. And that is why those of us who lead should look out for those among us doing the heavy lifting.

So, if you run a team, start by quizzing yourself on who has become your “default”—who do you instinctively turn to when something matters? Then, ask: is that instinct serving only your goals, or are you being considerate of theirs as well? Because there’s a fine line between leaning on someone, and, well, selfishly stretching them.

The risk with the latter, by the way, is not just that your strongest performers will falter—it is that they will begin to recalibrate. They could, for instance, begin to narrow their contribution to what is required, rather than what is possible. They may also begin to reconsider their trajectory, questioning whether continued overextension aligns with how they want to grow. Indeed, they may even eventually choose to take their capacity elsewhere.

Keeping this in mind, making a conscious decision to protect the people who consistently deliver in your business is not indulgence; it is strategy. Leadership, after all, is not only about driving results; it’s also about sustaining those who make those outcomes possible.