Top 3 Ways To Stop Burnout Before It Starts
written by Nwando Eze | Wellness
Many leaders sense when their team is approaching burnout. Symptoms of burnout include cynicism, self-doubt, lack of motivation, detachment, sense of failure or decreased sense of accomplishment. In addition to their normal work, societal pressures, like a global pandemic, may place added stress on teams. Though we have little control over external pressures, leaders should not ignore them. Our teams do not operate in a vacuum of just their work. We must acknowledge the pressures they face from all angles; from within and outside the organization and the pressures they place on themselves. A leader who pays attention to these pressures will quickly sense when their team is approaching burnout. And the best way to address burnout is to prevent it. These three strategies can help leaders avoid burnout.
1) Listen and Acknowledge:
Take a moment to meet with your team leads. Have a “Burnout Check-in” with them frequently. Listen for what they tell you and, more importantly, what they don’t. It’s rare that leaders close to their teams will get the whole truth about their challenges. Be curious. Ask questions. When they respond, practice active listening. Repeat back what you hear. Acknowledge and accept the responses, even if you don’t’ like them. And when they are honest, don’t take it for granted. Thank them for their honesty. Acknowledge how difficult it must have been for them to speak the truth. When your teams learn you have genuine interest in their well-being, a trust will develop. This trust will drive them to bring concerns to your attention before they burnout. Even if you cannot solve every issue, listening and acknowledging is sometimes enough to motivate and rejuvenate them to stay the course.
2) Review their Workload:
Some leaders avoid regularly reviewing their team’s workload for fear of inciting negotiation for more time and resources. However, the benefits of a regular joint review of your team’s workload are twofold. First, it shows you care. A team that senses their leader cares is a team that will very rarely burnout. They might get fatigued in busy times but will not burnout. The second is it allows realignment and prioritization of projects regularly so that they reach completion, within budget while avoiding burnout. According the authors of CEO Excellence, shifting and reallocation of resources is the most important of the 5 strategic moves a leader can make. Doing so creates 50% more value than companies that reallocate more slowly.
3) Remind them of their Why:
Get in the habit of taking care of yourself physically and mentally. Exercise most days of the week, eat healthy, learn to meditate, get enough sleep. Leadership, at a high level, has been likened to performing as a professional athlete. Before they get to this stage, successful athletes learn how to take care of their minds and bodies in order to stay sharp, execute successfully and prevent injury. This is especially true in order to remain successful and achieve longevity in an athletic career. Leadership is stressful. Learning how to care for your mind and body as you grow in your leadership journey will make you a more effective leader and avoid burnout.
Triple C Pearls Action Points
1) Listen and Acknowledge:
Schedule a “Burnout Check-ins” with your team. Place as a recurring event on the calendar.
2) Review their Workload:
During the “Burnout Check-ins” take a moment to review your team’s workload and priorities. Adjust as needed.
3) Remind them of their Why:
Find out what drives each of your team members, what “fills their bucket” if you will. During the “Burn-Out Check-ins” inquire about how the project is helping meet that need.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, I’m Nwando Eze a board-certified physician and Certified Physician Executive with a Masters in Public Health and Business Administration. An accomplished author and speaker, I’m passionate about nurturing early careerist into young leaders, coaching leaders into becoming the best, well-rounded versions of themselves, improving justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in leadership and helping leaders live a well- rounded life.
