I was recently working with a CEO at one of the world’s leading healthcare brands. On the surface, business was booming. The company had just crossed a substantial financial milestone three years ahead of schedule, doubled its profits, and was steadily gaining market share.

It was a perfect moment to celebrate their success. But as he prepared to take the stage at a company-wide celebration, he realized the emotional toll of their achievement.

“You know, I was unable to celebrate. I had nothing left. I had never felt so empty.”

I’ve encountered this story countless times, especially since the onset of COVID-19. People reach the mountaintop only to realize they exerted all their energy on the climb and can’t enjoy the view.

THE PREVALENCE OF BURNOUT

We know that burnout rates are soaring. Another CEO I worked with —who organizes a major global creative business event—recently shared how many of her people were taking time off due to personal and family crises. I could tell it hurt her heart, because she cared about her people and their well-being. She seemed tired, too.

I asked her, “Who is supporting you as you lead so many through burnout?” She fell silent.

That silence should bring us pause. In 2023, A Harvard Business Review survey found that over 50% of managers reported feeling burned out, which is higher than the general employee population. Anecdotally, it’s even higher among top-level executives.

What does it mean that those driving business success are also at the highest risk for burnout?

BEST PRACTICES FOR LEADERS

For the past decade, I’ve helped leaders remember their strengths, creativity, wholeness, and humanity. I’ve also experienced my own burst of burnout. To be totally honest, I’m coming out of one as I write this article.

Being a leader is not easy. We need to figure out how to give in a way that brings us energy, support each other as leaders, and pour ourselves into our work without losing our sense of self.

Based on my own experiences and working with countless leaders, I’ve found the following practices to be helpful.

1. FIND A SHARED LANGUAGE

One of the best pieces of advice I received was from my boss at IDEO: just name it. If you’re feeling exhausted, say that. Or give others the chance to do the same. Kick off a meeting by asking: How is everyone feeling on a 1-10 scale? It might sound simple, but this technique helps people share their feelings in a low-stakes environment. After doing so, people feel relieved and can show up more fully.

2. DEAL WITH ISSUES BEFORE THEY BECOME A PROBLEM

If you’ve ever swept issues under the rug, you know that disconnection and exhaustion tends to follow.

I help design formats for organizations and teams around the world to discuss and work through conflict before it grows disproportionately. I use frameworks like “I like…, I wish…, I wonder…”, a dialogue format (Tough Talks) rooted in agreements (i.e. focus on shared values, make subtle distinctions, stay in the trouble), and creative tensions. These simple practices help teams turn toward conflict in low-stakes ways, build their resiliency, and grow their capacity for giving candid feedback.

3. MAKE SPACE FOR INSPIRATION

The antidote to stress brain is inspiration brain. Brain jolts—those sparks of creativity you get when trying something new—help rewire the brain. So take that trip you’ve talked about for years, enroll in a painting class, or design field trips for your team to learn from analogous industries. As IDEO’s former chief creative officer says: “If we’re going to inspire others, we have to stay inspired.”

4. BUILD A CULTURE THAT PROMOTES WHOLENESS

In Latin, to heal translates to feeling whole again. I’ve worked with organizations who set mandatory quarterly self-care days. Whenever I lead workshops, I also announce that we’ll be starting two hours later the next day—which encourages people to use that time to recharge. These practices invite people to show up as their fullest selves.

5. ESTABLISH A NETWORK OF SUPPORT

When you’re going through something difficult, you might feel like you’re the only going through it. But you’re not alone. I know this, because I’ve designed a curriculum to help leaders navigate burnout while connecting deeply with others that are going through a similar experience. Sometimes, all we need is to share bravely, listen actively, and engage meaningfully with others.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BALANCE

When you’re doing work that you care about, it can be easy to let it consume your life. But it’s important that you take the steps to prevent that from happening, because otherwise you won’t be able to enjoy your success.

Winning shouldn’t—and doesn’t—need to come at the expense of your mental health. You can enjoy every step up the mountain, as well as the fresh air and blue skies, alongside those who are on the same journey.