The Not So Breakfast Show
Listen, laugh and learn as we share our latest thoughts about staying relevant, contemporary leadership and doing life right. Ish Cheyne is the Head of Fitness in New Zealand for global fitness juggernaut Les Mills. Sacha Coburn is the COO of Coffee Culture, a leading group of boutique coffee shops, and the co-founder of The Company You Keep.co.nz.
The Not So Breakfast Show
Work Ethic: Your Greatest Strength… or Your Biggest Trap?
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Topic: Work Ethic: Your Greatest Strength… or Your Biggest Trap?
We all love to say we’ve got a strong work ethic. It sounds impressive. It feels right. It’s basically a personality trait at this point.
But… what if that “great work ethic” is actually working against you?
In this episode, we get into the messy middle between working hard and working smart—and why being the person who’s always “on” might not be the flex you think it is.
There’s a bit of honesty, a few uncomfortable truths, and the occasional “oh… that might be me” moment.
💡 What we cover:
- When work ethic quietly becomes your entire identity (and why that’s a slippery slope)
- The hidden cost of being the person who says “yes” to everything
- Why being busy doesn’t automatically mean you’re being useful
- How overworking can sneakily mess with your health, relationships, and energy
- The trap of not delegating (aka “I’ll just do it myself… again”)
- Generational differences—hustle vs boundaries and who might actually have it right
- Why your version of “working hard” might not match what your boss is looking for
- A big reframe: You can be working incredibly hard… on the completely wrong things
If you haven’t come across it yet, Working Genius is one of the simplest, most practical models I’ve seen for helping teams understand how they actually get work done. Not personality. Not fluff. Just clarity on where people thrive — and where they get frustrated.
If you’re planning your next team day, offsite, or work event, I’d love to bring this to your crew.
Find out more at IshCheyne.com