Burnout Doesn't Come From Being Too Busy. It Comes From Feeling Powerless.

Burnout is not about workload. It comes from losing a sense of control. Leaders can prevent it by restoring agency, clarity, and influence for themselves and their teams.

Photo by Mitch on Unsplash

Burnout has almost become shorthand in daily conversations, a vague but familiar state of mind. We know it when we feel it or see it. But do we really understand what causes it, and what leaders can do to prevent it?

Recently we had the chance to explore that question with Dr. Sharon Melnick, a business psychologist who has spent over 20 years coaching senior executives. Much of what she shared runs counter to conventional wisdom, and it is worth reflecting on if we hope to build teams that do not just survive environments of change and pressure but thrive in them.

Dr. Melnick started with a simple but powerful reframe. “Burnout does not come from too much to do,” she explained. “Burnout comes from too little power.” Not power in a traditional or positional sense, but the emotional and professional sense of agency. The knowledge that your actions make a difference, that you can adapt to changing circumstances, and that your ideas and contributions are taken seriously. This is what research calls self efficacy, and it is the key factor that predicts well being at work, more than workload, flexibility, or having a good boss.

This is not just theory. One CEO Sharon coached, let us call him Lucas, put it into vivid relief. Reporting directly to the global CEO, Lucas had a significant mandate until it was taken away overnight. Functions he led were reassigned without discussion. Suddenly he was left to implement a strategy he disagreed with, leading a transformation that effectively rendered his team obsolete.

He considered taking a sabbatical. He told Sharon, “I just do not have the same energy, not in my work, not in my life.” Classic signs of burnout emerged: exhaustion that sleep could not fix, cynicism about leadership, and a diminished sense of purpose. High achiever or not, Lucas felt powerless.

But here is where the story turns. Sharon asked him a deceptively simple question: “What if this situation is happening for you, not to you?” After a thoughtful pause, Lucas realized that the changes frustrating him could actually free his team to focus on higher value strategic efforts he had long wanted to advance. That shift in perspective, reclaiming the driver’s seat even inside constraints, reignited his sense of agency. He did not quit. He led.

That story has stayed with me, especially when I reflect on my own experiences navigating high pressure environments. What I have observed time and time again is that the leaders who withstand intense demands are not necessarily the most resilient in the traditional sense. They are the ones who know where their influence lies and act decisively within it, even when they cannot control the entire chessboard.

As Sharon reminded me, this is not about managing time. It is about managing power. And that is the kind of power worth cultivating: not being in power, but being in your power.

The research backs this up. A comprehensive McKinsey study found that a sense of self efficacy is three times more predictive of workplace well being than any other factor. That is not just a personal insight. It is a leadership imperative.

Because here is the uncomfortable truth: leaders can unintentionally take away their team’s power. Consider Lucas’ CEO, who made sweeping decisions without input. Without intending to, he created the kind of environment where disengagement and burnout thrive. As Sharon put it, “A leader creates the weather.”

So what does this mean in practice? What can we actually do?

For yourself: Begin by doing a power inventory. Ask yourself what you can control in this situation. Clarify your priorities. Focus your energy where your impact is highest. And most importantly, reframe setbacks so they become sources of learning, not diminishment.

For your team: Create environments where autonomy and contribution are clear. Ask your people where they feel stuck and what would help them feel more in control. Make space for their input. Communicate what they can count on and where they can shape the path forward. Help them restore their sense of personal power, especially in times of business turbulence.

That kind of leadership does not just prevent burnout. It builds the trust and energy that drive performance, loyalty, and long term success. And in a world where volatility is only increasing, that might be the most valuable kind of power of all.