Now is not the time to do stupid things just to prove how valuable you are to your employer.

Like doing more and working harder.

OK, maybe these are not stupid tactics in the short term, but they can harm your future prospects.

I know it is tempting to do more and more yourself instead of delegating, but please restrain yourself. The ability to delegate effectively identifies you as a leader in two ways. It calms your superiors to know that you can utilize resources; and it cheers your subordinates to know that you value them.

The ability to calm and to cheer people during times of fear and stress can be quite valuable.

As for working harder, well, that’s always a dumb strategy. This economy, whether it is growing or shrinking, is now mostly a knowledge-based economy. That calls for working smarter, not harder. More brain, less brawn.

But you surely already knew that.

Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.