c0Rinthian
Jun 13, 2008, 02:55 PM
At some point in our career we have experienced in one manifestation or another, symptoms of burnout.
It could be that we have reached the limits of our competence, became too complacent in remaining within our designated comfort zones, personal dissatisfaction with your current role, or maybe you are just tired of doing the same thing without any visible escape route for change and/or advancements.
Classic burnout is the result of stress- too much work, too little time, too little support. Once enthusiastic star performers can experience deteriorations in attitude and can become defensive, cynical, bored, and pessimistic. Those poor attitudes can center on specific parts of their organizations or on the organizations as a whole.
It's too easy to get caught in burnout. You and your employees may be excited about all that is being accomplished. Sales are up. Profits are soaring. Everyone is feverishly working to create the next wonderful item to excite and engage your customers.
Therefore, it is your responsibility, if you are a supervisor, to look for the signs and symptoms of burnout and to relieve them as quickly as possible.
Let's consider ten phases of burnout (BO) first, and then it may become obvious what to do, depending on where you actually are in the burnout stages:
1. Kindness and idealism:
the 'good people' are more likely to get on the wrong track, leading to BO. - Learn to say no, learn to draw a line between requests from others, and first signs of getting >overwhelmed.
2. Becoming overwhelmed:
if you cannot say 'No!', you will get too much stuff on your desk - unless you live on a planet where each day has 48-hrs. - Learn to perceive your feelings of getting overwhelmed; understand those warning signs; accept that you are only human, for some people maybe just a 'resource to accomplish a task'. Learn to respect yourself, and value your achievements yourself, without the need for external 'approval' of your performance. - As a leader, don't lower standards, but ensure a better match between the capabilities of your employees and the tasks assigned. Listen to your people, and listen to your guts.
3. Fewer acts of kindness:
did you notice the people that used to be of the >kindest nature? Here the first 'reactions' start - like saying 'No!' - Learn how to detach your self-esteem from the judgment of others. Take care of your own resources (physical, mental, spiritual energy). If your body, your soul, your mind (...) feels good, you will feel better, you will be more kind to your environment!
4. Feelings of guilt:
if you don't intervene at stages 1-3, you start feeling guilty about your 'change in nature'. You turn the aggression against those who overhelmed you, and start being unkind, even aggressive with yourself. - Stop here! - Aggression against your own person may lead to >depression. If not, you will start being >aggressive; a vicious circle is starting...
5. Increased efforts:
Once you feel guilty, you start working even harder; but you >fail. - Learn how to "work smarter, not harder!" This includes 'sharpening your saw' or 'building production capacities' (=re-energizing activities, like fitness training, relaxation techniques, skill and knowledge building, etc.). [>Steven Covey: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People; The 8th discipline].
6. Lack of success:
A drained body or mind will not deliver. Thus, you will be lacking success, no matter how much you >increase your efforts. - Learn to say stop! - Use your memory and wisdom to start 'working smarter'.
7. Helplessness:
The vicious circle between 2-6 will give you the feeling of 'I can't help myself, but I am alone'. You start feeling >hopeless.
8. Hopelessness (“bottomless pit“):
no matter how fast you run in the hamster wheel, your efforts are not getting you anywhere. you have not learned to say 'Stop!', to re-energize and relax... . - Latest point for seeking professional help.
9. Exhaustion, aversion to clients, apathy, revolt, rage:
Ever heard the story of the school-bus driver? The guy who said: "I love my job - if there only were no kids each morning...!"
Now, it is not a question how you can help yourself here, but how the environment is dealing with this situation. - As a leader, you need to be aware of these stages, identify these warning signs early. Take care of people and ensure they get appropriate support and opportunities to recover.
10. Burnout:
self-accusation, avoidance, cynicism, sarcasm, psychosomatic reactions, absenteeism, increased spending, accidents, doing the bare minimum, affairs, divorce, sudden enraged resignation from work, diminished social status, falling out of step, suicide, etc.
External help may vary , depending on the severity of the case, the psycho-social environment, the mental and social 'safety net' of the person affected. This may go from simple peer or family support, up to psychological interventions and medical treatment..
so... are you headed for a head on collision with burnout city?
Don't encourage people to work for long hours week after week. Don't over-assign duties and responsibilities out of a misguided belief that more work makes people feel more appreciated.
Remember that stages set for the SHOW - Superior Habits of an Optimized Workforce - maintain an appropriate balance between work and non-work, even when that means increasing staff to keep up with demand.
It could be that we have reached the limits of our competence, became too complacent in remaining within our designated comfort zones, personal dissatisfaction with your current role, or maybe you are just tired of doing the same thing without any visible escape route for change and/or advancements.
Classic burnout is the result of stress- too much work, too little time, too little support. Once enthusiastic star performers can experience deteriorations in attitude and can become defensive, cynical, bored, and pessimistic. Those poor attitudes can center on specific parts of their organizations or on the organizations as a whole.
It's too easy to get caught in burnout. You and your employees may be excited about all that is being accomplished. Sales are up. Profits are soaring. Everyone is feverishly working to create the next wonderful item to excite and engage your customers.
Therefore, it is your responsibility, if you are a supervisor, to look for the signs and symptoms of burnout and to relieve them as quickly as possible.
Let's consider ten phases of burnout (BO) first, and then it may become obvious what to do, depending on where you actually are in the burnout stages:
1. Kindness and idealism:
the 'good people' are more likely to get on the wrong track, leading to BO. - Learn to say no, learn to draw a line between requests from others, and first signs of getting >overwhelmed.
2. Becoming overwhelmed:
if you cannot say 'No!', you will get too much stuff on your desk - unless you live on a planet where each day has 48-hrs. - Learn to perceive your feelings of getting overwhelmed; understand those warning signs; accept that you are only human, for some people maybe just a 'resource to accomplish a task'. Learn to respect yourself, and value your achievements yourself, without the need for external 'approval' of your performance. - As a leader, don't lower standards, but ensure a better match between the capabilities of your employees and the tasks assigned. Listen to your people, and listen to your guts.
3. Fewer acts of kindness:
did you notice the people that used to be of the >kindest nature? Here the first 'reactions' start - like saying 'No!' - Learn how to detach your self-esteem from the judgment of others. Take care of your own resources (physical, mental, spiritual energy). If your body, your soul, your mind (...) feels good, you will feel better, you will be more kind to your environment!
4. Feelings of guilt:
if you don't intervene at stages 1-3, you start feeling guilty about your 'change in nature'. You turn the aggression against those who overhelmed you, and start being unkind, even aggressive with yourself. - Stop here! - Aggression against your own person may lead to >depression. If not, you will start being >aggressive; a vicious circle is starting...
5. Increased efforts:
Once you feel guilty, you start working even harder; but you >fail. - Learn how to "work smarter, not harder!" This includes 'sharpening your saw' or 'building production capacities' (=re-energizing activities, like fitness training, relaxation techniques, skill and knowledge building, etc.). [>Steven Covey: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People; The 8th discipline].
6. Lack of success:
A drained body or mind will not deliver. Thus, you will be lacking success, no matter how much you >increase your efforts. - Learn to say stop! - Use your memory and wisdom to start 'working smarter'.
7. Helplessness:
The vicious circle between 2-6 will give you the feeling of 'I can't help myself, but I am alone'. You start feeling >hopeless.
8. Hopelessness (“bottomless pit“):
no matter how fast you run in the hamster wheel, your efforts are not getting you anywhere. you have not learned to say 'Stop!', to re-energize and relax... . - Latest point for seeking professional help.
9. Exhaustion, aversion to clients, apathy, revolt, rage:
Ever heard the story of the school-bus driver? The guy who said: "I love my job - if there only were no kids each morning...!"
Now, it is not a question how you can help yourself here, but how the environment is dealing with this situation. - As a leader, you need to be aware of these stages, identify these warning signs early. Take care of people and ensure they get appropriate support and opportunities to recover.
10. Burnout:
self-accusation, avoidance, cynicism, sarcasm, psychosomatic reactions, absenteeism, increased spending, accidents, doing the bare minimum, affairs, divorce, sudden enraged resignation from work, diminished social status, falling out of step, suicide, etc.
External help may vary , depending on the severity of the case, the psycho-social environment, the mental and social 'safety net' of the person affected. This may go from simple peer or family support, up to psychological interventions and medical treatment..
so... are you headed for a head on collision with burnout city?
Don't encourage people to work for long hours week after week. Don't over-assign duties and responsibilities out of a misguided belief that more work makes people feel more appreciated.
Remember that stages set for the SHOW - Superior Habits of an Optimized Workforce - maintain an appropriate balance between work and non-work, even when that means increasing staff to keep up with demand.