Ep. 117: Absorption - Part 1

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In this episode, I dive into one of the most destructive expectations in modern work: absorption—the unspoken rule that teachers, employees, and managers should just soak up endless pressure, problems, and extra work… without complaint, compensation, or support.

I share two very real stories.
One is about my daughter, a teacher who’s expected to absorb the emotional load of students, parents, and a school system without ever wringing out her own sponge. The other is about a client I did Career Drivers with last week—someone whose top driver is trust, and who’s watching that trust evaporate as her employer keeps piling the work of other departed employees onto her desk with zero remuneration.

Both stories point to the same truth: we can’t keep expecting people to absorb the impossible and then act surprised when they burn out.

In this conversation, I break down why absorption destroys performance, engagement, and loyalty—and why leaders must stop relying on invisible labor to fill the gaps.

And I make the case for doing something most employees have never been taught to do: wring the sponge.
Not on your coworkers. Not out in the parking lot. But upward—on your principal, your boss, or whoever earns more money specifically to handle the weight you shouldn't be carrying alone.

If you’ve been silently absorbing the deluge, or if you’re a leader unknowingly contributing to it, this episode will give you a language, a framework, and—most importantly—permission to stop thinking “that’s just the job” and start advocating for what you actually need to be effective.

Tune in and stop soaking up what was never yours to hold.

Email me and we'll sort out a sponge-wringing solution for YOU. [e-mail]

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