Irene* is a great colleague. A senior manager in a large consulting firm, she pitches in when the workload gets heavy, covers for people when they're sick, and stays late when needed, which is often.
She's also a leader, serving on boards and raising money at charity auctions. She tries to be home for her kids at dinner time, but often works into the night after they've gone to sleep. That is, on nights when she's not at a business dinner.
But if you catch her in a moment of honesty, you'll find out that she doesn't feel so great. In fact, she's exhausted.
To read the original article: Nine Practices to Help You Say No - Peter Bregman - Harvard Business Review
