I’ve been there. A new leader walks in. You’ve been solid for years. You know your job. You’ve built trust. You have the results and the track record to back it up. Then little things start happening. “Are you sure that’s what we agreed on?” “I don’t remember saying that.” “That’s not how I see it.” Once? Fine. People remember things differently. Conversations get messy. Miscommunication happens. But then it happens again. And again. Nothing loud. Nothing dramatic. Nothing you can point to...

We talk about burnout like it’s a moment. A breakdown. A breaking point. Something obvious enough that eventually you have no choice but to stop. But most of the time, it doesn’t start there. It starts with a leak. I remember a period early in my career when, from the outside, everything looked right. I was performing. Taking on big projects. Hitting expectations. Getting things done. From the outside? Solid. From the inside? Exhausted. My sleep wasn’t right. My energy wasn’t there. Even...

I’ve heard this sentence for years in operations: “That operation runs itself.” It’s usually said with pride. Great leader. Strong team. Numbers look good. No drama. No fires to put out. Perfect. So we do what leaders naturally do. We turn our attention to the places that need us more. One less visit. One less call. One less question. One less moment of, “What are you seeing that I’m not?” And because nothing immediately falls apart, we assume our absence is proof that everything is working....