When the task isn’t just hard, it’s a setup

They hand you something big. Important. Urgent. Flammable.
With a smile.

• “We trust you.”
• “You’re the only one for this.”
• “Just give it a go.”
• “It’ll be a great stretch project.”

And you, being diligent, hopeful, maybe even curious, say yes.
Even as your gut screams: “You are not giving me resources. You are handing me responsibility and walking away.”

This isn’t delegation.
This is displacement.
A scapegoat dressed as opportunity.

What “You’ve Got This!” Might Actually Mean

• “We didn’t plan well, so you get the chaos.”
• “We’d rather overburden you than admit we need help.”
• “We want to appear innovative, but not actually do the work.”
• “You’re new enough not to question us.”
• “We’re watching to see if you’ll break and blaming you if you do.”

It’s not about your ability.
It’s about plausible deniability.

They want the results, without accountability.
So they give it to you. And step back. And wait.

• That you weren’t ready
• That you weren’t organised
• That you “struggle under pressure”
• That they were right not to resource it properly in the first place
• That now you can be quietly sidelined, because “you tried and it didn’t quite work out”

They set the fire.
You were handed the extinguisher, with no training and half a can of CO₂.
When it didn’t work, you didn’t fail.
You survived sabotage.

☐ No one else has succeeded at this before
☐ Everyone else conveniently disappears when things get real
☐ You are praised but not supported
☐ The expectations are vague, but the consequences are clear
☐ Your past boundaries were ignored during the assignment
☐ You’re told it’s “A great opportunity”, but only after expressing concern

Bonus points if you were recently advocating for yourself.
Sometimes, the fallout isn’t punishment. It’s a smokescreen.

• “I appreciate the trust, but I’ll need more than encouragement to succeed here.”
• “Before I accept, I’d like to understand what success looks like, and who will be involved in achieving it.”
• “Given the scope, I believe this needs to be a collective effort.”
• “If you’re asking me to take the lead, we need to discuss realistic outcomes.”
• “I’m not able to own this as it stands, and that doesn’t mean I’m unwilling to help in another way.”

Let “no” be a boundary, not a character flaw.

You might be tempted to fix it all. To prove them wrong.
But don’t sacrifice your health to win a rigged game.

Instead:

• Document everything. Publicly, if possible.
• Request regular check-ins and escalate the gaps.
• Ask for what you need, formally. Let the refusal be on record.
• Don’t confuse martyrdom with mastery.
• Name it. Even just to yourself: This task is broken. I am not.
• When possible, walk away before the implosion becomes a story about you.

When the review says:
“Did not meet expectations.”

Remember:

• The expectations were fictional.
• The pathway was booby-trapped.
• The result was inevitable, and not your fault.

And maybe write your own review, just once:

“Handled an impossible situation with more professionalism than was deserved. Navigated sabotage, silence, and gaslighting with clarity, care, and minimal arson. I would recommend them in an environment that deserves them.”

Being handed a task you can’t possibly complete is not a compliment.
It’s structural deflection wrapped in false optimism.

The next time someone tosses you the kindling and smiles sweetly:
“We thought you’d be perfect for this…”

Take a breath.
Ask for the blueprint.
Check if the safety net exists.
If it doesn’t, say no.
Or say yes on your terms.

And if you’ve already done the thing, and it crumbled, and the silence was deafening?

Know this: you didn’t fail.
You were placed in a situation designed to swallow you whole,
And you walked out, singed but standing.

That’s not failure.
That’s clarity under fire.

Explore more with us:

• Browse Spiralmore collections
• Read our Informal Blog for relaxed insights
• Discover Deconvolution and see what’s happening
• Visit Gwenin for a curated selection of frameworks

Relentless. Results-driven. Remote-ready.

I manage multiple live websites, numerous publications, and patents – delivering research, strategy, and commercialisation expertise.