Description:

Have you ever found yourself solving a crisis you didn’t create? Taking on tasks you never agreed to? You’re not alone. In this episode, Michael explores the subtle but powerful difference between being trusted with a responsibility and being taken advantage of under the guise of delegation.

With the help of Stoic philosophy, emotional intelligence, and classic leadership thinking (including the legendary “Who’s Got the Monkey?” article from Harvard Business Review), we unpack how and why we end up carrying burdens that aren’t ours. And more importantly, how to stop.

In this episode:

• A real-world story about workplace boundaries gone blurry
• Quotes from Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca on protecting your time and energy
• Insights from Stephen Covey, Greg McKeown, and Brené Brown on priority-setting and empathy
• The emotional intelligence skills that help you say no, with grace
• Phrases you can use to draw healthy boundaries at work and in life

Takeaway:

Delegation is a sign of trust. Dumping is a misuse of it. The difference lies in how you respond. Your time, energy, and emotional bandwidth are valuable—guard them wisely.

🛠️ Resources & References:

• “Management Time: Who’s Got the Monkey?” by William Oncken Jr. and Donald L. Wass, Harvard Business Review
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
• Essentialism by Greg McKeown
• Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
• Stoic quotes from Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca

Rethinking Time in a World That Wastes It

“You’re on hold—the music loops. The voice says your call is important. But is your time?”

In this episode of Mind the Gap, Michael Comyn reflects on a moment we’ve all experienced — twenty-five minutes on hold, listening to polite apologies and pan-pipe music — and uses it to explore a deeper question: how much of our time is quietly being taken from us?

Drawing on Stoic philosophy, emotional intelligence, and a modern tool known as the Boston Matrix, this episode is a calm but pointed meditation on how we spend what we can never get back.

If you’ve ever felt a quiet frustration at wasted minutes — or want to reclaim your attention in a world full of demands — this one’s for you.

Subscribe, share, and join Michael every Saturday for more mindful reflection in the space between stimulus and response.

Why do the loudest voices so often rise—while the most capable hesitate in the shadows?

In this episode of Mind the Gap, Michael Comyn explores the strange tension between Impostor Syndrome and the Dunning-Kruger Effect. One causes deeply competent people to question their worth, while the other leads the unskilled to overestimate theirs. Somewhere in between is the path to real confidence.

Drawing from Stoic philosophy, emotional intelligence, and modern psychology, Michael unpacks the stories we tell ourselves about competence—and why society often rewards the wrong kind of certainty.

Along the way, we meet the archetypal Irish “chancer,” revisit the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus, and discover practical strategies for reclaiming grounded self-belief in a world full of bravado.

Whether you're the Quiet Expert or working with a Confident Fool, this episode offers insights and tools to help you lead with clarity, courage, and self-awareness.