According to Helgesen & Goldsmith, this “disease” stems from an unselfish passion for making others happy. But there’s a lot going on here.

Socialisation plays a big role — girls are still largely taught to be nice and helpful. No wonder it feels ‘natural’ to us! Educational and workplace streaming often sees women in helping, less valued roles, while fields like engineering, IT, and commercial development remain male-dominated.

Informal roles — organising meetings, taking minutes, mentoring, welcoming new staff — are often taken on by women, or simply expected of them. While some of this is shifting, research shows the trend persists.