Burnout is a pernicious issue that seems to be growing. Whether it’s because it’s actually increasing or because we’re becoming more aware of it, the issue remains — how do we grow and excel in increasingly competitive industries without spinning out, freaking out, and ultimately burning out?
While far from exhaustive, I do hope the following info is helpful for current or aspiring leaders. In all things, remember to take care of yourself so you can better take care and lead the people around you.
Burnout in Leadership
Burnout is common in just about any industry. Now, tack on a leadership role (whether in the realms of business, entrepreneurship, tech, etc.) and the chances of burnout are only likely to grow. As you progress in a career, more pay and more authority means more responsibility. This isn’t meant to be some sort of scare tactic to dissuade you from your goals, but rather a sentiment to serve as a sense of realism that, if taken to heart, can help you avoid common mistakes that far too often lead to burnout.
Causes
Leaders have to shoulder the brunt of responsibility, rightly so. But one common mistake amongst leaders is a refusal or neglect to delegate those responsibilities. Not only is this going to give you the mental clarity needed to take on the workday, but it’s also one of the most instrumental aspects of being a leader. The more you can foster excellence in the people around you, the better they will become at their work and the more valued they will feel. From a pragmatic standpoint, this is huge. But you’ll also begin to see how rewarding it is to see the people around you succeed, and a happy team is, at the very least, the foundation needed for a successful team.
Another area leading to leadership-burnout is the desire to project a sense of superiority to the people you lead. Now, I don’t necessarily mean this in a negative way, but rather in the sense that, for many leaders, showing a level of transparency or vulnerability is akin to a cardinal sin. But the truth is, we’re humans, and we’re going to fail and make mistakes from time to time. While striving for our best, the more open we are at admitting our failures, the more open our team will be with us. A team that feels like they can trust their leader and aren’t afraid to ask for help or admit when they’ve made a mistake can go a long way when it comes to things like client retention, team security, and overall workplace culture.
As I mentioned earlier, this list is far from exhaustive. But I do hope some of these thoughts help you think about leadership and burnout since the two seem to go hand-in-hand for too many people.
One last thing I leave with you: doing a lot of things is often not the cause of burnout, but rather doing a lot of things you don’t love. If you focus – as best you can – on doing things you love and things that provide value to you and the people around you, you’re going to find burnout becomes something that becomes more and more of a distant memory.
Lastly, if none of that is working, take a vacation!
Until next time,
Doug