Leadership for the Long Haul

In her Business.com article, “Why You Need to Worry About Employee Burnout,” Julie Thompson writes, “Disengagement translates to significant losses in revenue because of its adverse impacts on employee productivity and motivation. Therefore, a highly engaged workforce is crucial to the growth and longevity of the organization, while widespread burnout can torpedo a company’s future.”

And with more than half of employees reporting burnout in the past year, according to National Alliance on Mental Illness’s data, this is a significant detriment to organizational success and economic prosperity.

In “Discover the Neuroscience Behind Leadership Longevity,” Jessica Billiet provides a four-pillar framework based in science that talent development practitioners and leaders can use to keep employees engaged, motivated, and healthy so they can perform well.

Pillar 1. Fuel Sustainable Motivation

Billiet writes that, “Many leaders, especially early in their leadership journey, lean heavily on dopamine-driven tactics (such as recognition, incentives, productivity hacks, or quick wins) to spark motivation. Those strategies can be briefly effective, but their efforts are fleeting.”

Instead, leaders can aid their teams (and their organizations) by celebrating progress, even for small feats they have accomplished. They can help employees understand the purpose of their work and communicate on a regular basis to provide clarity. They can build in recovery periods and support autonomy and flexibility, continues Billiet.

Pillar 2. Cultivate Trust

Many of us have experienced a work or personal situation in which we didn’t feel we could be completely open or honestly share our opinions or feelings. In other words, we didn’t feel psychologically safe. These are instances when our cortisol is high and oxytocin is low.

Leaders can foster psychological safety through open communication, role modeling composure, and creating team rituals that reinforce belonging.

Pillar 3. Build Adaptability and Growth

Leaders who encourage learning and experimentation and who provide employees time for reflection create an environment that boosts employees’ brains neuroplasticity.

“Individuals with high neuroplasticity possess an enhanced ability to learn from failures, adapt during uncertainty, and embrace innovation,” writes Billiet.

Supervisors can do this by offering stretch assignments with appropriate support, protect employees’ time for deep thinking rather than focusing solely on efficiencies and productivity, and talk in terms of growth rather than goals.

Pillar 4. Hardwire High-Performing Habits

Teams are grounded in routines. Reinforcing positive routines and habits will lead to a culture where employees feel free to make mistakes and challenge assumptions, where individuals feel they belong and who support each other, and can maintain consistency.

Leaders can encourage team rituals to further these behaviors. For example, rather than passing projects off to the next person without context, managers can institute 15-minute handoffs that allow for a smooth transition via a short meeting and a written summary in a template for teammates.

Similarly, teams can establish end of the month reflection rituals that outline what members will start doing, stop doing, and continue doing. This gives individuals pause and cultivates growth.

In Practice

Talent development practitioners can help leaders and teams prioritize an area to build on and map a way forward. For example, a team that desires to create a greater sense of trust and belonging may establish a ritual of Monday check-ins when employees connect. Or teams may choose a goal of increasing shared learning, instituting a ritual of a Friday learnings chat thread.

As Team Exos shares in “Rituals That Strengthen Team Culture & Belonging,” whether it’s a weekly gratitude session or a monthly goal reflection, these rituals create touchpoints that connect the team and remind everyone of the purpose they share.

“By implementing simple, consistent rituals, leaders can foster a shared sense of belonging that motivates and engages their teams.”