Bernadette BoasExecutive Leadership Coach, Trainer and Speaker, Ball of Fire Coaching · Become the Leader Everyone Wants to Follow and No One Can Overlook.

Burnout, Control, and the Art of Delegation

31 Jan 2026 · 2 min

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1:55

In this interview excerpt, Speaker A asks whether professionals who cannot disconnect from work, even on paid time off, do so because of a deep need for control and fear of being replaceable, leading to burnout. Speaker B, who identifies as a self‑confessed control freak, confirms that the need for control is a primary driver of over‑working. He explains that delegating is especially hard for such individuals, who prefer to do tasks themselves. However, he emphasizes that effective leadership—both at work and in life—requires setting clear boundaries, relinquishing tasks, and trusting others to take over. By doing so, leaders can reduce personal burnout while fostering team growth.

Chapters

When you also talk about people who can't shut down, even when they go on PTO, on vacation or whatnot, is it also because of their need to control and their need to always have their hands in the pot and to feel valuable and not feel threatened that if you know that people could actually survive without them. So is there also that that's causing them a lot of pressure to just keep working, working, working, working, working to the point of burnout?
Absolutely, Bernadette. Almost all the professionals that I speak with about this topic, they need control. And, and I'll raise my hand, I am a control freak. One of the hardest things for me is delegating. I would rather just do it myself. And I'll— but honestly, good— being a good leader in, in, in your life altogether, not just in work, is being able to delegate, to let go, to excel at something and then allow someone else to do it as well. But absolutely, there it is, 100%. You nailed it on the head. Control is such a big factor. And especially when you've been doing it for so long, you have that feeling of, to your very point of, I can't stop, I have to keep going, I have to do it myself. But it's honestly just the opposite. Being able to confidently have those boundaries and say, as I mentioned before, I don't have the bandwidth for this project, but let's see if, you know, this person can do it, does make you more of a leader of being able to have that ability to relinquish tasks and delegate.