Issue 07: Today’s Brew: Burnout Isn’t a Performance Problem—It’s a Leadership Signal
☕ Brewed for Leaders Who Care
Espresso & Empathy — Issue 07
By: Shannon Foster
Founder & Senior Consultant, Martin & Foster Consulting
April 16, 2025
There’s a narrative in the workplace that needs to shift.
Burnout is too often seen as a personal issue—a failure of resilience, time management, or work ethic. But the truth is, burnout is rarely about the individual. It’s a cultural and leadership issue—and it’s showing up in our organizations at every level.
Right now, teams are navigating rising demands, economic uncertainty, role overload, and shrinking support systems. And those on the frontlines—especially in HR and people leadership—are absorbing the pressure without a pause.
According to a 2024 study by the American Psychological Association, 57% of employees report feeling emotionally exhausted at work, and nearly half say their workloads are unmanageable. Leaders can no longer afford to treat burnout like an isolated, personal problem. It is a workplace signal that something deeper needs attention.
What Burnout Looks Like Today
Burnout doesn’t always show up as a breakdown. Sometimes it looks like:
High-performing employees who suddenly disengage
Increased sick days, decreased focus, and emotional distance
Cynicism, irritability, or a lack of motivation
The slow decline of innovation and creativity across teams
“Quiet quitting” that’s actually chronic fatigue and disillusionment
These aren’t performance issues. They’re warning signs—and leadership must be ready to respond with empathy, not judgment.
How Leadership Culture Contributes to Burnout
The work environment plays a bigger role than we often acknowledge. Burnout is fueled by:
Unclear or shifting expectations
Micromanagement or lack of autonomy
Poor communication and inconsistent direction
Recognition gaps—where effort is overlooked and outcomes are all that matter
A culture of urgency over sustainability
If your team is constantly in “survival mode,” they aren’t failing—you’re asking them to succeed in an environment that doesn’t support recovery or resilience.
Leadership Behaviors That Help Prevent Burnout
Burnout prevention doesn’t begin with HR policies—it begins with leadership presence. Here’s what leaders can do now:
1. Set Clear Priorities
Not everything is urgent. Help your team understand what matters most—and what can wait.
2. Check in More Than You Check on
Regular, real conversations matter. Use one-on-ones to ask how people are really doing—not just what they’re doing.
3. Recognize Often and Specifically
Recognition isn’t just about rewards—it’s about being seen. A simple, timely acknowledgment goes further than you think.
4. Promote Autonomy and Trust
Empower your people to make decisions, manage their workflow, and solve problems. Over-control drains energy and morale.
5. Model Healthy Boundaries
Leadership sets the tone. Don’t glorify burnout. Respect time off. Stop sending emails at midnight. Show what sustainability looks like.
The Blanchard Connection: Self Leadership and Coaching Essentials
In our work at Martin and Foster Consulting, we integrate Blanchard’s Self Leadership and Coaching Essentials models to help employees and leaders navigate their energy, priorities, and performance more effectively.
Self Leadership empowers employees to ask for what they need—direction, support, resources—so they don’t burn out in silence.
Coaching Essentials equips leaders to listen deeply, ask the right questions, and help their people solve challenges without creating dependency or pressure.
Burnout decreases when people feel heard, equipped, and valued. These models make that possible—one conversation at a time.
Leadership Self-Check: Is Burnout Brewing on Your Team?
Ask yourself:
Are my employees withdrawing or disengaging?
Have I unintentionally created a culture of urgency?
Do I regularly ask for input or just issue directives?
Am I recognizing effort—or only outcomes?
Have I created time and space for recovery?
If any of these give you pause, now is the time to realign your leadership behaviors with the culture you want to create.
Final Thoughts
Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a sign that something must change. And in most cases, that change starts with leadership.
People don’t need another motivational quote—they need clarity, support, and a culture that honors both performance and humanity.
It’s time we stop expecting our teams to be resilient without giving them the foundation to thrive.
Lead with empathy. Lead with purpose. And always—lead by doing the right thing.