This article enumerates various situation that may cause for a leaders to experience burn out such as expose on risk to attack for doing their job but doesn’t have a way to fight back, overwhelmed with complex details, conflicting forces and problems which they hurled themselves with increasing intensity but without impact that could be repetitive and prolonged combined with their sorrow, helplessness, pity and rage that generally have these identifiable characteristics: (1) chronic fatigue; (2) anger at those making demands; (3) self-criticism for putting up with demands; (4) cynicism, negativity, and irritability; (5) sense of being besieged and (6) hair triggering display of emotions on their selves, co-workers and/or family.
Burn out do really happen even to those who excelled at work as most of the time these people were the one assigned to more complex situations and being trusted by the management and are expected as the hope to solve problems being encountered by the business to the point they were overly exposed that they already felt exhaustion. When this happen, leaders should be alarmed that these best employees of them needs to take a break, thus, the company should regular programs and events on employees for relaxation and get-away from the usual formal business setting of the office and workplace.
In our workplace, we are expected to be a catalyst in our respective community we are partnered with in which these communities presumed that we are the best in the field; and we know it all to solve and be part of solution on building a resilient community but with a goal of sustainability after the project partnership. The knowledge and skill that we possess is expected to be shared and transferred to the community and partly we brought with us the life learning from them when we immersed with these communities. With these, all of us were busy on providing the needs of these communities beyond working hours and days but despite of the burn-out that we felt, the smile and the impact of our services to them inspired us to work harder and better.
In my opinion, I agree that leaders may, can and will really experience burn-out in any organization excluding the daily stress passed on by the management on the targets, compliance and policies that every company should comply within and outside of the organization. With these various concerns, sometimes it conflict on each other and leader need to strategize on solving these concerns. These leaders have also other priorities in life aside from being an employees, they themselves have an emotion to take care of, family that needs them and friend to enjoy with. This leaders needs also to relax and get-away from work every now and then for them to refresh and breath from the usual stress they encounter.
In my experience as community development worker, it’s natural for us to answer and solve problems on wee hours and/or weekends and even on our vacation that were supposed to enjoy yet since there were concerns that need to be settle the soonest possible our communication line is always open. But despite of these working schedule I personally enjoy my work as it’s really my passion to help people who are in need of my help. Because this work of mine is a life that I want to live and makes me happy. More than the value of money, the smile and joy that was given by the indigent people we are helping keeps me inspired to always be available to cater their needs the every time they need them.
Stress and burn out is very normal for me in times of frustration and failures but these keeps me from improving and evolving myself to be better, effective and efficient. As when this feeling occurs, I spend time to reflect alone and reminds myself that the work that I have now is my way of thanking this life that I have. It’s the legacy that I want to leave.