How to Lead without Burning Out

Burnout, how to spot it, how to stop it, and how to prevent it. This is what we're going to be talking about today on how to lead the podcast for CEOs, founders, and leaders who want that perfect balance of authority and empathy. I'm Kate Waterfall Hill, and I'll be sharing some ideas from over 30 years of working in business and leadership development.

Before we start, don't forget to check out my book, my group coaching, team coaching, and one-to-one coaching programs at waterfallhill.co uk. Places are strictly limited and tend to sell out each month. So book now for yourself or your team.

So today's topic, burnout, not just I need a nap, tired. Not just things are a bit hectic, busy, but full on career derailing, health depleting burnout.

It's a bit of a buzzword, but it's certainly real. It's common and it's creeping into workplaces everywhere, often undetected until it's just that bit too late. But the good news, it's also preventable. So let's start with that familiar voice of Linda, the bad manager who's no stranger to overwork and under recovery.

“What do I tend to do with my star players? The really good people. Well, I generally overload them with work until they're really about to crack. And then just as they're on the edge, I give them a team of people to manage and that really pushes them over it. Yeah, yeah. Do I, do I want them to burn out or maybe even leave?

No, of course not. Of course not. No. It's just, um, I'm of a mind that lots of work and a team to manage is a badge of honour, and that should really motivate the best people. Doesn't it? Doesn't it?”

There she goes one more time, making us cringe, but also showing us what not to do. Let's talk about how to actually tackle burnout for yourself and your team before it gets that far. Let's start with a definition. What burnout actually is. It's not just exhaustion or just being tired.

The World Health Organization defines it as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It's not a fleeting mood or a bad day. It's a sustained state of exhaustion, cynicism, or detachment, and reduced professional efficacy.

Firstly, on exhaustion, it's not just physical. It can be mental and very much emotional. That cynicism or detachment is when you just stop caring about the things that you used to value, And then your performance, you feel like you're underperforming even if you are still actually producing.

It builds slowly. People don't burnout overnight. It starts with late nights, skip lunches, stress headaches may be and ends with someone staring at their screen thinking, I just can't do this anymore. and the real cost of burnout has multiple levels.

For the individual, burnout affects your sleep, immune system, relationships, and mental health. It increases your risk of anxiety, depression, even cardiovascular problems at an organizational level. The cost is enormous. Deloitte's 2020 report put the annual cost of poor mental health to UK employers alone at 45 billion pounds. That includes absenteeism, presenteeism turnover, and lower productivity. And burnout doesn't stay, you know, neatly contained. It's contagious. One burned out leader can drag down an entire team. You might well have been there.

So what are the early warning signs? Well, for yourself, burnout often shows up as being persistently tired. Even once you've had a rest, you can also be irritable. Maybe there's some numbness or loss of motivation. Having difficulty concentrating is another sign. Tempting to procrastinate or avoiding things you once enjoyed.

Using food, alcohol, or screens to unwind and feeling like nothing you do makes a difference. As this is a leadership podcast, I also wanted to give you some things to look out for in your team. So perhaps you've noticed changes in performance, miss deadlines, sloppy work, for instance, and somebody who used to be really on top of it.

Maybe you've noticed somebody in your team has starting to withdraw or be a bit more disengaged than usual. There can often be more sickness, absence, or lateness. And then this idea of presenteeism. So they're there, but they're not really there. They're not engaged. And then there's a loss of humour, a loss of interest, loss of general spark in somebody.

And what matters most as a leader is to notice the change. Some people are quiet by nature and others thrive under pressure, but if someone suddenly starts behaving differently, it's worth paying attention. And what causes burnout, and it's not just overwork. According to leading researcher Christina Maslach, hope I've said her name right. There are six key causes of burnout. One is workload. Too much to do and not enough time or resources. But there's also lack of control, so not having any autonomy, feeling like you're being micromanaged or not having clear expectations of what you're supposed to be doing.

Next is reward, not feeling recognized or appreciated regardless of pay. Community or lack of poor relationships, conflict, isolation, Fairness is another key indicator, feeling like there's favouritism or opaque decision making or unequal treatment. And then finally values a mismatch between what you care about and what the work requires.

For example, a social worker who went into the role to help people but spends 80% of their time filling out forms might well be burnout, waiting to happen. It's not just about being too busy, it’s about being out of alignment with your workload, your values, or your ability to make a difference.

And burnout isn't just a badge of honour, regardless of what Linda, the bad manager says. It's not a sign that you care. It's a sign that something needs to change. If your working pattern relies on late nights, skipped breaks, and constant sense of urgency, you're actually not a hero.

You're running a race with no finish line. In too many organizations, people who burn out are seen as weak, when in reality they're often the most committed. The most conscientious, the ones who kept saying yes, long after they should have paused. So what can you do as an individual to prevent burnout in a practical way?

Here's what you can do this week. First of all, set some boundaries. Perhaps it's no emails after 7:00 PM or you need to take a real lunch break. Saying no to one thing you don't have capacity for might be a good place to start. Secondly, we all need as humans to prioritize sleep and rest. Rest actually is productive.

You can't solve complex problems on a fried brain. One you know about, I'm sure, and perhaps you do already, but I'd really encourage you to move your body, even if it's just a 10-minute walk. It really can help reduce cortisol and reenergize you. And reclaim some joy and connection in your life because burnout thrives in isolation.

So call a friend, book a swim, make time for something pointless and fun. And remember, you are more than your job. build non-work identities. So, you are a friend. Maybe you are a runner, a reader, a bad ukulele player, it doesn't matter. But whatever reminds you, you are a human first.

As author Emily Naski, hope I've said her name right, too, puts it. You can't logic your way out of burnout. You have to complete the stress cycle. So what have, you're already burned out if you're already in that zone, the priority is recovery, and that means first acknowledge it because denial delays healing.

Talk to someone, a manager, a friend, a therapist, perhaps. Get some professional support, your GP or mental health services if needed, and really do consider proper time off a real break, not just a long weekend, and reflect and redesign. What led to this, what needs to change? Recovery takes time. It's not just about rest.

It's about regaining a sense of control, purpose, and perspective.

Coming back to what you can do as a leader for your people. If you notice a sign of burnout in somebody in your team, do remember you do have a responsibility, not just for your own wellbeing, but for the tone you set for others. So here's what you can do. Model sustainable working. please don't send emails really late at night.

Also, make sure you take your holidays, show your team, it's okay to switch off. I talk about checking in quite a lot, rather than checking up, not just how are you, but what's getting in your way right now and what support do you need? And then, be aware of the signs and watch them, especially changes in performance, mood or energy.

Don't just think somebody's off. Somebody might be struggling and need your help. So intervene early. Don't wait until somebody's off sick. Offer adjustments, support, and crucially psychological safety so they feel they can ask for help. and lastly, create some flexibility. Not everyone burns out for the same reason. Give people autonomy and how and when they work. If you possibly can.

Then moving on to what organizations can do, saying you care about wellbeing isn't enough. You need systems and a culture to match. Successful approaches include flexible working policies, so having hybrid models, core hours, adjusted workloads, especially for carers or neurodivergent employees, and focus on output, not ours.

Reward results not presenteeism. Also, give your managers some training because burnout prevention isn't just an HR department issue. It starts with the line managers introduce fair, transparent processes so you can reduce unnecessary stress by explaining decisions and avoiding favouritism.

And then have regular wellbeing audits. Use surveys one-to-ones and observation to assess how people are really doing.

I often see companies with high burnout rates, particularly in startups, tech companies, and agencies and consultancies. if I'm working with somebody open to hearing how to reduce burnout, I recommend they introduce these things. Things like Focus Fridays where there are no meetings, no slack messages.

People can just take a breather for a little bit on a Friday and get some stuff done, get some thinking done

Also. implementing clear escalation routes when deadlines feel unmanageable. So rather than just saying, well, that's tough, get on with it, actually have a way of dealing with those issues. And again, give training for managers to recognize early burnout signs.

And a really important one is changing how performance is measured. Adding sustainability and teamwork, not just speed. Pretty soon you'll find turnover drops. Quality improves, and you become known as a people first employer with a waiting list for job applicants. Burnout. Prevention isn't a perk.

It becomes a competitive advantage.

So what can you do this week? Whether you're a leader or a manager or an individual contributor, you do have influence, and here's what I'd recommend. Do a quick burnout self-assessment. What are your top three stresses right now? Identify one boundary you can set this week, whether that's emails, meetings, or your availability.

Ask your team how they're really doing in one-to-ones or even a simple pulse survey. Audit your culture. What do you reward? What do you tolerate and what message does that send? And importantly, start a conversation. Normalize talking about burnout before it becomes a crisis. Burnout isn't a weakness.

It's not a failure of resilience. It's a signal. A signal that the system with a personal team or organizational is out of sync. Spot it early. Talk about it, openly tackle it strategically. You don't need to wait until someone breaks down to make a change. Preventing burnout isn't just about reducing harm.

It's about enabling performance, creativity, and long-term success. And it starts with you. That's all for today's episode of How to Lead. Until next time, the best way to avoid being like Linda, the bad manager, is to lead with care, curiosity, and clarity. If you've enjoyed this episode, do follow for more leadership insights.

And if you'd like my personal support, take a look at my website to waterfall hill.co.uk for more information about all my coaching programs. There's never been a better time to take your professional development seriously than right now. I'd be delighted if you could like leave a review and share with your fellow leaders to help spread the word about the How to Lead Podcast.

And don't forget, the best leaders are clear on the vision, care about their people, and approach interactions with curiosity, not judgment. Until next time, thanks for listening.