#454: What Six Things Do Smart Leaders Do to Minimize Burnout?

Every recent study I’ve read indicates that individual and corporate burnout has skyrocketed during the last two years as the world endured the effects of the COVID pandemic. Burnout is a huge problem that has only worsened! The World Health Organization estimates the global economic impact of burnout exceeds $1 Trillion! Add another $322 Billion, which is the cost of increased turnover and lower productivity associated with burnout. More important than the economic impact is that these are real people who are suffering. Our friends and co-workers are being impacted by burnout significantly. In a Deloitte study, 91% of respondents said excess stress and workload impact the quality of their work. In addition, 87% of our younger Millennial employees said they had endured burnout in their current jobs, and nearly 50% said they left a job because of burnout! The cost of burnout in economic and human terms is simply unacceptable, and as leaders, we need to minimize it!

Causes of Burnout

A study of 7,500 people by the Gallup organization identified the top five causes of burnout:

1. Unfair treatment at work
2. Unmanageable workload
3. Lack of role clarity
4. Lack of communication and support from their manager
5. Unreasonable time pressure

The Mayo Clinic who has been studying the causes and effects of burnout for a long while, identified six possible causes:

1. Lack of control over decision making or resources needed
2. Unclear job expectations
3. Dysfunctional workplace dynamics stemming from bosses/colleagues/or clients
4. Extremes of activity from either monotonous or chaotic jobs
5. Feelings of isolation both at work and in your personal life
6. Work-life imbalance

So, while they use different words to describe the causes, the Gallup and Mayo clinic studies identify various organizational issues as the primary determinants of burnout. As leaders, we must understand and recognize the signs of burnout and take action to minimize the impact of burnout. This is much like Moses did when his father-in-law confronted him.

Moses’ Case of Burnout

One example of burnout in the Bible is offered in the story of Moses (Exodus 18). Recall, God appointed Moses to lead a rag-tag group of several million Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land 5,300 miles away! The whole journey took 40 years. The people moaned and complained about water and food shortages, dire living conditions, and everything else the entire way! Look back at the list of causes of burnout above, and you’ll see Moses already had several boxes checked off! On top of all this stress, Moses was God’s sole representative between the people and God. Therefore, every disagreement among the people was brought to Moses for him to take to God. Moses was like Judge Wapner (the People’s Court), hearing cases from the people all day long, every day. One day when Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, was visiting, Jethro saw how overworked and stressed Moses was, so he took him aside to provide some fatherly advice. “Moses,” said Jethro, “You are overworked. You are trying to do too much. As a result, your leadership of the people is suffering. You are going to wear yourself and the people out. You can’t do it all!” Moses had the best intentions, but he was heading for a leadership crisis and burnout. Fortunately, Jethro gave Moses some great advice. Jethro affirmed God’s ordained role for Moses as the people’s representative before God. Moses intended to obey God in his work, but Moses was doing it the wrong way, and his approach was hurting himself and the people. Jethro told Moses to start delegating work. He told Moses to recruit men who feared God and were honest and trustworthy. Moses was then to train these men about God’s laws and trust them to hear all the disputes among the people. They were authorized to handle all minor cases and would only bring major disputes to Moses. Moses saw the wisdom in his father-in-law’s advice, so he immediately implemented all his suggestions. Moses recruited trustworthy, God-fearing men, trained them in God’s laws, and gave them the authority to hear the cases brought by the people. That way, Moses could devote himself to the vital responsibility of leading the people to the Promised Land! Moses may not have seen the burnout coming, but he was humble enough to listen and see the wisdom of Jethro’s suggestions. Once he understood the problem, he acted and made the changes.

6 Things Smart Leaders Do to Minimize Burnout

I am not suggesting that a silver bullet will somehow eliminate individual and corporate burnout now and forever. But given the costs to people and organizations, it makes sense to do everything we can to minimize the potential causes of burnout. There are several things we can do to minimize the potential for individual and corporate burnout. However, the most important and first action we should take as Christian leaders is to pray.

1. Pray

Of all the examples of praying leaders in the Scripture, one of my favorites is King Hezekiah (1 Kings 19:14-19). Hezekiah was surrounded by the Assyrian army, the most powerful army on earth. The Assyrians had conquered every country they came against and were now camped just a few miles from Jerusalem. Assyrian envoys delivered a letter demanding Hezekiah surrender Jerusalem. The people encouraged Hezekiah to accept the terms of surrender, fearful they would all be killed if they did not surrender. However, Hezekiah was a man of God. So, rather than give in to outside pressures or rely upon his judgment, he took the letter to the Temple. He spread the letter before the Lord and poured out his heart in prayer. Hezekiah asked God to save the people from the Assyrians. God answered his prayer, saving the people of Jerusalem in a decisive victory. A smart leader always turns to God in prayer first, seeking His will and wisdom. Continuing with our list, a recent article from the folks at All Things Talent suggested five things smart leaders can do to minimize burnout in themselves and their organizations.

2. They Leave It Behind at The Office

Smart leaders recognize that taking time off is as important as working. It refreshes the mind and allows them to come back to their tasks with renewed enthusiasm. Smart leaders designate fixed hours for working and disconnecting. For example, taking the weekend off and not dealing with work-related issues (unless indispensable). Disconnecting is an effective way to de-stress and avoid any burnout.

3. They Have a Hobby

Most successful leaders agree that there is more to life than just working. Research shows that spending time on a hobby can improve mental and physical well-being. Enjoyable activities can increase happiness, relaxation, replenish energy, and heal. And therefore, smart leaders set aside time for a hobby because it is a great way to unwind, de-stress, and hone other skills. In addition, focusing on something else for a change can be an effective way to counter burnout.

4. They Know Where to Draw The Line

Commitment is part of life, but there is a difference between commitment and overcommitment. The bottom line is that humans have limits, and managing those limits is exceptionally crucial. Smart leaders know how to say “no” and set boundaries that help in preventing burnout. Instead of taking too much on and quitting mid-way, they carefully select their activities and opportunities and decline the rest.

5. They Acknowledge It Is “Ok” Not to Be Perfect

Studies show a direct correlation between perfectionism and high rates of burnout caused by high stress levels. Smart leaders know that subjecting themselves to intense self-criticism and compulsive behavior has a dark side and can often lead to chronic stress, heart disease, depression, and anxiety.

6. They Delegate More

Some leaders are reluctant to delegate for various reasons. But smart leaders acknowledge they have limited time and energy, which means they need to focus on doing things that only they can do and delegate the other jobs to everyone else. By delegating work effectively, they prevent stress and burnout and enhance their teams’ capabilities. In addition, when leaders delegate work thoughtfully, they empower their team members to accept new responsibilities and expand their skill sets. It is foolish to think burnout is not an issue in your organization or think it doesn’t affect you. Everyone is susceptible to suffering to a greater or lesser degree from burnout. Smart leaders recognize the signs and reduce the impact burnout has on their people and themselves. In so doing, they preserve human capital and make our organizations more effective.

More Articles

I have written several articles on human resource development. You can find them by typing “Human Resource Development” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are a few of my favorites.

• #276: What One Thing Do the Best Leaders Do More Than Anyone Else?
• #272: 7 Things I Learned from My Impressive Class of Gen Z’s
• #250: Is Mentoring A Rewarding Strategic Choice Today?
• #220: It Turns Out You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks!
• #220: It Turns Out You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks!

Join the Conversation

As always, questions and comments are welcome. What signs of burnout have you seen in yourself or your organization? What steps did you take to minimize the impact of burnout? I’d love your help. This blog is read primarily because of people like you who share it with friends. Would you be kind enough to share it by pressing the share button? Category: Skills | Human Resource Development