Leadership Burnout Cycle
People Performance Resources, LLC
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Written by: Luke Benson
Being a manager can be an incredibly rewarding role, but it also comes with unique challenges and stressors that can take a toll on one's well-being over time. In this article, we will dive into the various stages of the phenomenon known as the “Leadership Burnout Cycle”, the factors that contribute to it, and strategies for preventing and managing burnout. Whether you are a manager yourself or collaborate closely with managers, we hope you will find this information helpful and informative.
When leaders face recurring stress and tiredness due to the responsibilities of their position, the Leadership Burnout Cycle takes place, and usually follows a particular path. This often begins with leaders failing to create strong teams, not delegating tasks effectively, and not providing adequate training. As a result, leaders are left with a never-ending list of tasks that are all Top Priority. To keep up, leaders must work long and demanding hours, which can leave them feeling exhausted, short-tempered, and overwhelmed.
Eventually, leaders may take time off to recover, only to return to an even heavier workload and panic about falling behind. In a desperate attempt to catch up, leaders may blame their staff and create internal stress for team members, which can lead to further burnout and employee turnover. With fewer staff members to complete tasks, leaders may take on even more work, perpetuating the cycle of burnout and further contributing to their own exhaustion and eventual departure from the organization.
Research in the disciplines of organizational psychology and occupational health supports the idea of the Leadership Burnout Cycle. Numerous studies have been done on burnout and how it affects leaders. These studies have covered the causes, effects, and preventive and treatment methods for burnout. Our knowledge of burnout and its impacts on people and organizations has improved in part thanks to the work of scholars like Christina Maslach, Michael Leiter, and Cary Cooper. Burnout has been linked in studies to a variety of detrimental effects, such as lower work satisfaction, increased absenteeism, and even issues with one's physical and mental health. The significance of treating leader burnout and fostering supportive work environments has been highlighted by this research.
The Leadership Burnout Cycle can be broken down into eight distinct phases:
High Expectations and Motivation: People in leadership positions frequently have elevated expectations and motivation because they want to succeed and have positive impact.
Increasing Effort and Responsibility: As leaders take on more duties and have a heavier workload, tension and exhaustion may set in.
Self-Care Neglect: As leaders feel overwhelmed by their obligations, they may start to neglect their own self-care, including exercise, rest, and quality time with friends and family.
Physical and Emotional Tiredness: Chronic stress can eventually cause physical and emotional exhaustion, which can impair a leader's capacity for performance.
Decreased Performance and Effectiveness: As fatigue sets in, a leader's performance and effectiveness may start to deteriorate, which can cause a sense of failure and worsen stress and burnout symptoms.
Cynicism and Detachment: Burnout can cause leaders to become cynical and distant from their jobs and their coworkers, which can further reduce their effectiveness as managers.
Impaired Judgment and Decision-Making: Burnout can cause leaders to become cynical and distant from their jobs and their coworkers, which can result in errors and subpar performance.
Enhanced Stress and Burnout: When leaders are caught in a cycle of tension and burnout, it can be challenging to escape and recover.
If leaders wish to stop the cycle of leadership burnout, they must place a strong emphasis on self-care, set fair goals, delegate work, ask for help from peers or mentors, and take breaks as needed. By actively managing their stress and avoiding burnout, leaders can improve their well-being and effectiveness in their roles. There are several proactive steps that leaders can take to avoid burnout:
Create a Strong Team: Instead of attempting to oversee everything individually, leaders should concentrate on creating a strong team to which they can assign duties. This entails selecting the best candidates, giving them the required tools and training, and allowing them the freedom to do their work.
Establish Priorities for Tasks: Leaders should decide which tasks are most crucial, and devote their attention and resources to them. Being cautious and intelligent about where to invest resources is essential, because not everything can received Top Priority status.
Establish Boundaries: Leaders need to be very specific about their availability and working hours. This involves taking breaks as needed, avoiding long workdays, and unplugging from the office outside of working hours.
Exercise Self-Care: Leaders should put their own health first by exercising frequently, getting enough sleep, and adhering to a balanced diet. Leaders should also schedule time for enjoyable activities that will help them relax and refuel.
Seek Assistance: Whether it is through mentors, coworkers, or other experts, leaders should create a network of assistance. This can serve as a sounding board for concepts and assist leaders in overcoming obstacles.
Periodically Evaluate Workload: Leaders should periodically evaluate their workload to identify jobs that can be outsourced or delegated. This can help leaders stay focused on the most important tasks and minimize burnout.
Finally, it should be noted that the Leadership Burnout Cycle is a genuine problem with potentially major repercussions for both leaders and their organizations. Leaders may guarantee that they are able to lead successfully and avoid the negative effects of burnout by recognizing the stages of the cycle and implementing preventative actions. It is crucial for leaders to put their own health first, create a solid team to which they can assign duties, establish boundaries, and frequently evaluate their workload. In addition to fostering successful leadership that is beneficial to their teams and organizations over the long run, leaders may maintain their own health and well-being by doing this.