, Read This Before You Burn Out, Lose Trust or Wonder ‘What’s the Point?’

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Hi !

Welcome to this week’s edition!

If you’ve been following me on LinkedIn, you’ve probably seen my recent posts about three major leadership fault lines:

1. Ignoring Self-Reflection until a crisis hits

2. Burnout that’s mistaken for “lack of resilience”

3. A Trust Crisis between leaders and their teams

Today, we’re weaving those threads into one cohesive conversation about the kind of leadership that actually works (and, more importantly, lasts).

What’s In It For You:

• Reality Check: Why self-reflection is routine maintenance, not an emergency brake

• Burnout Truth-Bombs: It’s not a weakness problem; it’s a system problem

• Trust Revival: Practical steps to rebuild credibility and connection

Let’s Reflect:

Do any of these resonate with you?

• Are you rolling your eyes at the thought of “pausing to reflect” because it feels like a waste of time?

• Do you ever find yourself wearing burnout like a weird mark of dedication? (Yep, been there, somehow made it through)

• Is your team’s trust in you wavering, but you’re not sure where you went off track?

If you said yes (or even maybe) to any of these, keep reading.

Part One: The “Check Engine” Light for Your Leadership

I’ve seen too many leaders wait until they’re face-to-face with a personal earthquake before they dare to look inward. Burnout, divorce, a health scare, you name it.

For me, that “engine failure” moment was burnout back in 2014. It was epic (in the worst way). I only realised I’d been driving 100 mph in the wrong lane.

Reflection shouldn’t be your emergency brake. It’s regular maintenance. You wouldn’t drive your car until the engine explodes before getting an oil change, right? The same logic applies to your leadership.

If I keep living like this for the next year, will I like where I end up?”

If that question makes you pause, you’ve got your cue.

Part Two: Burnout Isn’t About Being ‘Weak’

I mentioned on LinkedIn that according to the DDI Global Leadership Forecast report for 2025, 71% of leaders are more stressed than ever, and 40% have considered quitting.

That doesn’t scream, “Well, they just can’t hack it” to me. It screams that something deeper is broken.

Read the full report here.

Quick Burnout Busters:

1. Talk About It

   • If you’re burying stress or ignoring your mental state, you’re basically gift-wrapping yourself for a meltdown.

2. Incorporate Micro-Pauses

   • Don’t wait for a sabbatical in Bali that may never come. A 5-minute breather during your day can go a long way.

3. Self-Reflection as a Habit

   • Weekly journaling or 15 minutes of “thinking time” can be enough to spot issues before they become code-red emergencies.

Leaders need space to lead. You’re not a superhero. You’re human.

The moment you own that is the moment you start cutting burnout off at the knees.

Part Three: The Trust Crisis & Why It Matters

You’ve seen the stats from the same report above: Trust in managers dropped from 46% to 29% in 2024. That’s staggering. And if you think a fancy mission statement or an “open-door policy” is enough to rebuild it, I have bad news.

Trust grows when teams believe you mean what you say and do what you promise.

Where Trust Dies:

• Overpromising and Underdelivering

• Making decisions about people without involving people

• Preaching collaboration while leading with a heavy top-down approach

Trust is the only leadership currency that matters. Without it, your team is just counting down the minutes until they can check out, physically or mentally.

Let’s Connect the Dots

• Self-Reflection: Catch the cracks before they become chasms.

• Burnout: Not a you-problem, but an everyone-problem. If 40% of leaders want out, it’s systemic.

• Trust: When people trust you, they’ll weather storms by your side. Lose it, and you’re leading a ghost team.

They’re all interlinked, feeding into and off each other.

When you model genuine self-reflection, your team sees an authentic leader.

Authentic leaders are more transparent about burnout and create spaces where others can speak up, too. And what does that do for trust? It skyrockets.

The Gifts of Imperfection - Brené Brown

If self-reflection, burnout, and trust are at the core of this week’s newsletter, vulnerability is the glue that holds it all together.

Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection is a masterclass in embracing who you are without the endless pressure to perform, perfect, or prove yourself.

It’s a personal favourite of mine and one that helped massively during my own recovery.

Ready for More?

If you want to dig deeper into how to avoid meltdown leadership and build unshakable trust, I’m here to help.

Quick Note: Schedule Your Free 30-Minute Clarity Call

Curious about how I coach senior leaders through reflection, burnout prevention, and trust-building? Let’s chat. No strings attached.

👉 Schedule your complimentary 30-minute clarity call here

Fun Corner

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with “intentional distractions.”

Every few hours, I blast a song from my favourite heavy metal playlist and attempt to headbang along. It's surprisingly effective at resetting my brain.

Disclaimer: Some warming up and light exercises are advised beforehand. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a stiff neck all week.

Any weird productivity hacks you’ve tried recently? Hit reply. I want details.

Thank you to everyone who responded to the last edition!

A Personal Reflection

Writing this edition reminded me of a previous leader I worked under. You’ve probably heard me say role models and anti-role models have an equal amount of effect on someone.

He was never available, never to be seen, always ‘busy’ to the point that every time we needed to speak to him, it was made out to be an inconvenience. Unsurprisingly, trust tanked.

I vowed never to let that happen on my watch. Fast forward, and I caught myself slipping into the very patterns I had despised in a leader during my early managerial experiences, ignoring the warning signs in my own mind and body.

If I could turn back time, I would say, ‘If I’m too busy to check in with myself, I’m too busy to lead others effectively. Period.’

Food for thought.

The Final Word

You can’t outrun the need for reflection. You can’t brute-force your way through burnout. And you definitely can’t fake trust for very long.

If you’re feeling the pinch, maybe you’ve been ignoring your red flags, let this be your sign to pause, reflect, and reset.

It might just save you (and your team) from a world of regret.

Share Your Thoughts

I want to hear from you. What’s your biggest leadership challenge right now? Have you ever lost trust in a leader, or your own sense of direction, because of burnout or failing to reflect?

Just hit reply and let’s keep it real.

How Else I Can Help

• Consulting & Coaching: Deep-dive leadership strategies tailored to you and your team.

• Speaking Engagements: I'm available for workshops, events, and podcasts. If you want a real talk on leadership, I’m in.

Interested? Reply to this e-mail or contact me here.

Thanks for reading!

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