What are you carrying that nobody at work can see?

We talk a lot about workload. Meetings. Deadlines. Emails. Expectations.

But we don’t talk nearly enough about “the load.” Grief. Caregiving. Health concerns. Financial stress. Relationship strain. Parenting. Uncertainty.

The emotional weight of being the person everyone else turns to.

And leadership can add another layer: you’re carrying your own backpack while people are handing you pieces of theirs.

In this episode of imPERFECT: Better After Broken, executive coach and leadership consultant Jeff Servello PCC, RBLP-T, and clinical psychologist and executive coach Susan Hendrich, PsyD, explore what happens when workload sits on top of everything else we’re carrying.

We talk about the difference between being busy and burdened, the hidden emotional labor of leadership, why capable people often become very good at appearing fine, and how to care about people without absorbing what belongs to them. We also revisit the powerful Cleveland Clinic video, “Empathy: The Human Connection to Patient Care,” and the reminder behind it: we see people’s behavior, but we rarely know the whole story behind it.

So instead of immediately asking, “What’s wrong with this person?” What if we asked: “What might this person be carrying?” Compassion doesn’t mean lowering standards. Empathy isn’t the absence of accountability.

Understanding someone’s context can change how we enter the conversation while still being clear about what matters. And there’s another person whose load deserves our attention: ourselves. What are you carrying quietly? What has gotten heavier lately? Where might you need support? And what are you pretending is fine that isn’t?

NEW EPISODE: The Invisible Load of Leadership: What You’re Carrying That Nobody Sees.

Because nobody walks into work empty-handed.

Watch on YouTube: @imPERFECTBetterAfterBroken

#imPERFECT #Leadership #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipDevelopment #Empathy #EmotionalLabor #WorkplaceCulture #InvisibleLoad