01/29/2013
Defending Against
Personal Burnout & Frustration
By Timothy Bednarz,
Ph.D.
Many leaders will
associate the implementation of change in their organization with
elevated levels of stress, frustration and anxiety. These pressures,
combined with a typical staff reduction requiring leaders to
accomplish more, can lead to personal burnout.
It is important for
leaders to understand that large, overwhelming changes will
typically shake up the entire organization as wholesale
modifications occur in the way business is conducted. The process is
time intensive and traumatic for everyone involved, and people
require time to recuperate after the event is over
While quick or frequent
change can lead to burnout, leaders can use the strategies outlined
in this section to defend against burnout and frustration � even in
the face of ongoing change.
Part of
the job
Effective leaders accept
that change is a normal function associated with their jobs. In this
way, change is no longer perceived as an event that threatens the
organization, but simply a normal function of everyday business
activity.
Managers embracing
change will plan small, incremental adjustments that help their
organization slowly evolve and adapt. As a result, the company will
eventually see an increase in productivity and efficiency. It takes
a change in management perception, to reduce both stress and
pressures that once were associated with organizational change.
Anticipate rather than resist
When people oppose
change in their organization, they end up focusing their energy on
resistance rather than acceptance. This focus saps the energy
required to maintain productivity and effectiveness, ultimately
leading to burnout.
On the other hand,
leaders who accept and anticipate change learn to harness its
momentum to their benefit, using that energy to enact change
throughout the organization. Thus producing positive outcomes and
results.
Pace
When organizations
implement far-reaching changes out of necessity, it can be
overwhelming. Many of these changes include layoffs, which increase
the intensity of the situation and overburden the leader. However,
when supervisors plan for ongoing change, adjustments are made in
small, incremental steps that allow the organization to transform
itself on its own terms. When approached this way, wholesale
organizational change is eliminated along with the stress and
intensity of the adjustments.
Incorporate
The incorporation of
small, incremental changes into daily activities allows the
organization to grow and evolve while simultaneously increasing
productivity, effectiveness and efficiency. This incremental nature
of change allows leaders to build it seamlessly into the
organizational culture.
Once the organization
accepts change as a daily occurrence, managers are less like to feel
pressured � which greatly reduces personal burnout from frustration
and anxiety.
Experiment
Leaders that learn to
accept and incorporate change into their daily responsibilities also
learn the value of experimenting with new ideas and concepts. They
discover that small changes can be tested with minimal impact, and
lessons can be learned from all successes and failures. These
lessons are ultimately incorporated into adaptations made by the
organization.
Experimentation also
helps supervisors reduce risks associated with change. And less risk
equals less stress, frustration and anxiety � all of which are
associated with burnout.
(From the �Impact of
Change on Individuals: Pinpoint Leadership Skill Development
Training Series,� by Timothy Bednarz.�