A Hard Truth: Burnout's Long-lasting Echoes

People burnout. Then they quit. But what happens next?

Welcome to Back to Bright, where the echoes of high achievement meet the realities of mitigating chronic stress. Created by Erayna Sargent and the Hooky Wellness team, join us in exploring topics like hard-truths about burnout, discovering relief through mental wellness, and redefining success. Welcome to a space dedicated to reclaiming your brilliance.

Burnout doesn't just fade away with a change of scenery.

It's like a shadow, sometimes faint, other times stark, cast by past professional experiences. Employees bring a mosaic of such experiences to every new role, carrying the weight of past burnouts and workplace traumas. This baggage can profoundly influence how they perceive their work environment, interact with colleagues, and respond to leadership. 

As leaders, we're not just managing tasks or projects but leading individuals with complex histories.

Here are Five Lessons for Managing in the Aftermath

1. Understanding Past Experiences and Mindsets

An individual's history of burnout can significantly affect their current performance and approach to work. It's essential to gauge where your team members are coming from—what battles they've fought, what victories they've celebrated, and what defeats they've endured. This understanding helps tailor your leadership style in a way to support their needs and performance objectives. 

Initiate open conversations. Encourage sharing of past experiences, if they're comfortable doing so, to understand their perspective better. Remember that trust is essential and that this isn't about prying into personal details but about recognizing patterns that might inform their reactions to stress, workload, and team dynamics.

2. Practicing Grace While Setting Clear Expectations

Empathy is key. Recognizing that everyone is on a unique journey of recovery, clarity in expectations sets a foundation for accountability and progress. It's about finding that delicate balance between understanding their struggles and maintaining a standard of excellence.

Clearly articulate your vision, the team's goals, and each member's role in this collective journey. Ensure these expectations are understood and agreed upon. This clarity helps individuals navigate their responsibilities while grappling with personal challenges.

3. Holding People Accountable Amid Struggles

Accountability is a cornerstone of team success. However, it becomes particularly nuanced when team members are battling the shadows of their past experiences. Knowing when and how to hold someone accountable, especially if they're struggling, is a test of leadership.

Transparency in communication is your ally. When expectations are clear, any necessary corrective actions, such as a reduction in responsibilities, or reassignment from projects, are less likely to be perceived as punitive and more as a structured path to improvement or even much-needed support. This approach can mitigate confusion and foster a culture of mutual trust.

4. Self-Care as a Leadership Model

Leadership is not just about guiding others, it's also about setting an example through your actions. Taking care of yourself is paramount. Showing your team that you value self-care and personal wellness encourages them to do the same.

Lead by example. Share your strategies for managing stress and avoiding burnout. Whether it's through mindfulness practices, regular physical activity, or setting work-life boundaries, demonstrating these habits reinforces their importance and normalizes their practice within your team.

5. Preparing a Backup Plan

Even the most dedicated and resilient individuals can find themselves unexpectedly paralyzed by the effects of burnout. It’s crucial to have a contingency plan in place to protect not only the workplace success but also your well-being.

Identify critical tasks and roles within your team, and understand which elements are essential for success. Develop a clear plan for what to do if an at-risk team member cannot deliver due to burnout or other unforeseen circumstances. This might involve cross-training team members, prioritizing tasks, or having external support on standby. Preparing for such scenarios ensures resilience and continuity, safeguarding your team's achievements and collective mental health.

Feeling the weight of leadership on your shoulders?

Take a moment to assess your burnout risk with our Burnout Quiz. It's a step towards understanding your current situation and keeping a handle on your well-being. Take the 5-minute quiz here.

Hooky Wellness is all about keeping it real and relatable. Our secret sauce? A dash of design thinking and a filter of real life, makes our approach stand out from the usual support. We've already been there for over 2000 professionals from leading companies like Microsoft and Netflix. We fuse mental wellness and professional development into something tailored just for you. It's all about giving you the tools to keep your balance, no matter what life throws your way.

Learn more about our support services for individuals, organizations, and teams at: hookywellness.com