What if your relentless hard work is actually costing your business more than it’s helping?
In this episode, Bill explores the hidden costs of overwork, particularly when leaders confuse effort with effectiveness. He shares a cautionary tale of a CEO who pushed too hard, micromanaged excessively, and ultimately failed—highlighting how unchecked hustle undermines both personal well-being and team performance.
Topics explored in this episode:
(0:42) The Hidden Price of Hustle
* Overwork has obvious personal costs, but its impact on the business is often overlooked.
(2:40) The CEO Who Couldn’t Let Go
* The story of a SaaS CEO who tried to control every part of the company, despite lacking expertise in many areas.
* A promising company failed due to leadership that was anxious and overreaching.
(5:27) From Hero to Enabler
* True success comes not from doing everything, but from rallying a capable team.
(6:38) The Real Cost of Doing It All
* Personal sacrifices become habitual and ultimately unsustainable.
* Overworking leaders limit their organization’s potential by suppressing ownership and innovation.
(8:30) Redesigning Leadership for Scale
* Leaders who are central to every decision become bottlenecks.
* Overworking doesn’t inspire teams—it demoralizes them.
* Evolving leadership is the key to scaling without personal burnout.
Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.
Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop
Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall
Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach
Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth.
Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.
Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJ
Subscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00u
Bill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/
Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall
This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.