The Business Risk Of Burnout

We’re overdue for a deeper conversation about burnout, especially among those who are used to powering through it in silence.

Burnout isn’t just a rough patch or something to push through—it’s a real and widespread challenge that affects even the most capable leaders. Often a result of systemic pressures, not personal shortcomings. The result? It quietly chips away at the energy, empathy, and clarity leaders need to guide their teams and nurture healthy workplace cultures.

The World Health Organization defines burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It’s characterized by three dimensions: exhaustion , increased mental distance or cynicism toward one’s job , and reduced professional efficacy . But if you’re in a leadership role, burnout doesn’t just show up as fatigue or frustration. It becomes part of how you make decisions, how you show up for your team, and how well—or how poorly—you model sustainable success.

The Warning Signs Leaders Miss or Ignore

Burnout often creeps in quietly, disguised as determination or hidden behind a packed calendar. But there are signs—physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral—that begin to accumulate until they become impossible to ignore.

Here are some common signs of burnout, particularly for those in leadership:

Mental and Emotional Symptoms

  • Persistent fatigue that doesn’t go away with rest
  • Cynicism or detachment from your role, your team, or the organization’s mission
  • Decreased motivation and difficulty focusing on tasks
  • Increased feelings of self-doubt, even if you’re objectively successful
  • Irritability or emotional numbness in situations that previously sparked passion or empathy

Behavioral Changes

  • Procrastination or avoidance of decision-making
  • Withdrawing from team interactions or becoming short and reactive
  • Micromanagement or, conversely, a loss of oversight and follow-through
  • Neglecting personal care routines and habits that once brought you balance

Physical Challenges

  • Frequent headaches, stomach issues, or muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders
  • Changes in sleep (either too much or too little)
  • Increased illnesses due to a weakened immune system

These signs are often minimized or internalized, especially by high performers and people in positions of authority. But the cost of ignoring them is steep—and it’s not just personal.

The Leadership Impact Of Burnout

Leadership burnout is contagious. It impacts not just your health and productivity, but also the wellbeing and performance of your team.

Ten years ago, Gallup reported that managers account for 70 percent of the variance in employee engagement. At the time that meant when you’re burned out, your team feels it. More contemporary research shows things have stayed the same. A pre-pandemic study from Harvard Business Review shows that chronic stress narrows perspective, increases risk aversion, and undermines the very cognitive flexibility that leaders need in moments of change.

Burned-out leaders:

  • Make more reactive, short-term decisions
  • Struggle to maintain emotional regulation, especially under pressure
  • Reduce psychological safety for their teams by becoming unpredictable or emotionally unavailable
  • Lose touch with their sense of purpose, which can impact team morale and trust

More recently in 2021 McKinsey reported that toxic leadership behaviors—often stemming from unacknowledged stress or burnout—made employees 8 times more likely to feel burned out and 3.5 times more likely to quit .

If you’re committed to equity, inclusion, and people-first cultures, burnout quietly chips away at your ability to lead in those areas. When leaders are depleted, empathy suffers. Listening suffers. Courageous conversations suffer.

What Can You Do? 5 Strategies to Interrupt the Burnout Cycle

Burnout doesn’t go away because you take a long weekend. Recovery—and prevention—require more intentional, systemic change. Here are five deeper strategies leaders can use to protect their energy, support their teams, and lead from a place of clarity and strength:

  1. Do a “Yes” Audit
    Look back at your calendar or task list from the past two weeks. What did you say yes to? Now categorize each yes as: energizing, neutral, or draining. What patterns do you notice? Start building a “stop doing” list from those draining items. Just because you can do it doesn’t mean it’s your responsibility. And let’s be honest, it might not be the best use of energy.

  2. Anchor Back To Purpose
    Burnout often erodes your sense of “why.” Take 10 minutes to journal or voice record the last time your work made a real impact. Reconnect with your mission. Share that story with your team to remind them (and yourself) what’s at stake.

  3. Build A Leadership Debrief Loop
    Don’t wait for a breakdown to reflect. Create a weekly or bi-weekly rhythm of checking in with a mentor, coach, or trusted peer. These aren’t performance updates. They’re space for honesty, support, and recalibration. Even 30 minutes can change how you show up the rest of the week.

  4. Model Micro-Boundaries
    Big boundaries (like sabbaticals or schedule overhauls) are great, but don’t underestimate the power of smaller, daily decisions. Turn off messaging apps like slack, teams or email after a specific hour. Could you use the phrase, “Let me check with you tomorrow,” instead of replying instantly. Or my favorite, schedule meetings for 25- or 50- minutes, allowing time to step outside, taking breaks between back-to-back meetings.
    Small boundaries, repeated consistently, signal to your team that rest, and pace are part of the culture—not exceptions.

  5. Acknowledge the Human Side of Leadership
    It’s OK to say:
    “This has been a heavy week. I’m moving a little slower today.”
    “I need to pause before I give feedback—I want to make sure I’m showing up the way I want to.”
    These moments don’t make you weak. They make you real. They create room for your team to be honest about their own limits, too.

The Recognizing Of Burnout Is A Leadership Strength

Burnout isn’t a sign that you’re not cut out for this. It’s a signal that something in your current rhythm, expectations, or boundaries needs attention. Leaders who recognize burnout early and respond to it with courage rather than a sense of shame are the ones who lead with longevity and impact.

You are not alone in this. And you don’t have to wait for a breaking point to make a change.

You can start today with one new boundary, one honest check-in, one small act of reclaiming your energy.

This week, my challenge to you is to choose one of the following:

  • Schedule a 15-minute “purpose reconnection” journaling session.
  • Identify and delegate one draining task on your plate.
  • Share one honest reflection about your current workload with someone you trust.

Leadership doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means being willing to lead yourself with the same care and intention you offer others.

Your wellbeing isn’t a distraction from the mission.
It is the mission.

The Inclusive Leadership Newsletter is a must-read for news, tips, and strategies focused on advancing successful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in technology and across the IT channel. Subscribe today!

Close