Episode 631

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Published on:

23rd Apr 2025

What are the Hidden Costs of Overwork?

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.


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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/

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About the Podcast

Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher
Do you dream of an easier way to scale and grow your business? Do you wish you didn’t have to work so hard and put in as many hours? Do you find growth too slow, or hard to sustain?

This podcast—Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher—can help you achieve and maintain the growth you want.

A message from your host: “I’ve been in your shoes as a founder, CEO, and executive leader. I’ve coached and trained many leaders just like you over more than 15 years to grow their businesses successfully and profitably. But more than that, I’ve helped give them their time and sanity back. My core strength is making the growth process easier, faster, and way more fun.”

A dynamic thought leader, Bill talks with fascinating and brilliant guests each week, including visionary CEOs, trailblazing entrepreneurs, best-selling authors, renowned business strategists, and more.

Broadly, each episode focuses on one of the four major decision areas every entrepreneur and company must get right: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash. More specifically, the show explores topics such as:

* Business Growth & Scaling.
* Customer Experience & Marketing.
* Innovation & Differentiation.
* Leadership Development.
* Delegation & Accountability.
* Vision & Strategy.
* Team Dynamics.
* Hiring & Talent Management.
* Company Culture.
* Employee Engagement.
* Crisis Management.
* Effective Communication.
* Influence & Persuasion.
* Business Strategies.

Running a business is ultimately about freedom. Subscribe to this podcast to learn how leaders like you can get your organizations moving in sync, create something significant, and still enjoy the ride. Subscribe if you want to elevate your business to unprecedented heights by tuning in to a masterclass in business excellence.

For information on Bill Gallagher’s coaching and training programs, and Scaling Up Workshops, visit www.ScalingCoach.com

About your host

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William Gallagher