Martha was under a lot of stress. Her company’s supply chain was experiencing major disruptions, requiring her team to put in extra time. Even though her people were highly qualified, she was very reluctant to ask any of them to do more. They already had enough on their plates, she believed, and it was her responsibility to step up. She had the same attitude toward her boss. Martha didn’t want to approach him for help, figuring that if she did, he wouldn’t be pleased.

A version of this article appeared in the July–August 2023 issue of Harvard Business Review.