The ripple effect of burnout: How leadership exhaustion undermines organisational success

It's only the second full week of work in January, like many Scots, are you already feeling a bit frazzled? French-born Clinical Hypnotherapist and Burnout Advisor Charlene Gisele has some insight and tips on how to tackle burnout if you're a business leader or are self-employed.

Burnout at the leadership level doesn’t just affect the individual; it creates a ripple effect that impacts teams and entire organisations. From confidence crises to cultural stagnation, the challenges leaders face can shake, and sometimes even undermine, the core of their workplace. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for building more resilient, healthier organisations.

Confidence Crisis

Burnout doesn’t just drain energy—it erodes confidence. Even the most accomplished leaders can start questioning their decisions, doubting their abilities, and experiencing imposter syndrome. This self-doubt trickles down, creating confusion and hesitation within teams. When confidence falters at the top, employees mirror that uncertainty, resulting in stagnation across the business.

Charlene GiseleCharlene Gisele
Charlene Gisele

Loneliness at the Top

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Leadership is often described as a lonely role. The weight of decisions, managing conflicts, and navigating crises can isolate leaders, who feel compelled to project strength despite lacking meaningful support. Over time, this isolation affects mental health and performance, causing leaders to withdraw from their teams. This detachment creates siloed work environments and a loss of shared purpose, further eroding trust and connection.

The Stalemate of Cultural Change

Burnout doesn’t just impact individual leaders; it stalls cultural transformation. Depleted leaders lack the capacity to inspire or implement meaningful change, leading to cynicism among employees. When staff see their leaders struggling, faith in the organisation’s ability to evolve diminishes. This disillusionment often fuels disengagement, including phenomena like quiet quitting, where employees lose belief in the organisation’s vision and do only the bare minimum.

Anger and Its Consequences

Burnout can also manifest as frustration and anger. Stressed leaders may become short-tempered or overly critical, inadvertently fostering a culture of fear. This undermines psychological safety—the foundation of collaboration and innovation. Employees, wary of negative reactions, hold back ideas and disengage. Over time, this creates an environment where creativity and trust are stifled, leaving employees feeling unsupported and undervalued.

Heroic Overcommitment

Many leaders fall into the trap of overcommitment, saying “yes” to everything in an effort to stay involved. While well-intentioned, this approach often spreads leaders too thin, diminishing focus on strategic priorities. Observing their leader’s constant busyness, employees may feel pressured to mimic this behaviour, fostering a culture of overextension. Though this might drive short-term productivity, it ultimately undermines morale, sustainable performance, and long-term success.

Toxic Tenacity

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Toxic tenacity—the refusal to pause, delegate, or adjust—can initially inspire teams, but it quickly becomes a liability. Employees feel compelled to match their leader’s relentless pace, prioritising output over health. This creates a culture where burnout is normalised, and innovation is stifled. Over time, trust, creativity, and resilience erode, leaving the organisation less adaptable to challenges.

Burnout impacts both leaders and organisational culture. Sustainable high-performance requires leaders to prioritise balance, seek support, and model resilience. By fostering well-being and embedding sustainable work practices, organisations empower leaders and teams to thrive, driving innovation and long-term success.

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