What does – and doesn’t – burnout prove?

 Burnout is a syndrome of exhaustion, cynicism and estrangement. It’s painful and damaging. And when it’s happening we tend to look for someone or something to blame.

But that blame is problematic because we make some wrong assumptions.

Burnout is NOT proof that:

Leadership doesn’t care

The work is too hard

The customers/clients/patients/students are ungrateful

Staff isn’t trying

Burnout is proof that the there is a mismatch somewhere, between effort and results or between intention and execution or between expectations and reality.

So if you or anyone in your organization is experiencing burnout I’d ask you to first find the mismatch. Got any thoughts? Hit reply and tell me! We’ll work this out together.

All my best,

Dr. G