Leader Exhaustion (Part 3 of 12)

Leader exhaustion: too much to do in the time available; too many demands pulling in too many directions.

What’s the cause? What’s the cost?

If we pull back and take a broader view: What happens in an organization where the conditions for psychological safety, accepted accountability, and genuine candour haven't been built?

A team that doesn't feel safe raising concerns might try to ignore them, hoping they’ll vanish or someone else (like their boss) will take care of them.
Problems unattended can grow. And migrate – Up.

A team member that hasn't accepted accountability for outcomes passes those up the chain too.

And the team member who hasn’t completed their objectives to their leader’s expectations may find these tasks taken back by the leader who knows they, the leader, are ultimately accountable for the team objectives. It feels faster. It seems easier. It compounds the problems.

Multiply these across time and teams, and you have a picture of leaders carrying loads too large, decisions baked in exhaustion, and decreased resilience.

Leader exhaustion is a signal - not of a personal failing – but of the absence of the human infrastructure: That layer, between the leader and the team members. That layer of trust, psychological safety, purpose and accepted accountability. That layer of professional candour and clear purpose. When healthy, it creates the environment of care, possibility, and resilience - in both directions.

The heaviest thing a leader carries? The accumulated weight of what their team was capable of carrying all along.

What’s the tax on your organization? What would it take to turn it to dividends?