Leaders need to be aware of a subtle enemy to effective leadership – burnout.
That physical and psychological exhaustion and diminished efficiency resulting from overwork or prolonged exposure to stress. Often, the problem starts with a legitimate crisis that truly demands additional time and effort. But, somehow when the crisis is over, we don’t go back to a normal routine of work, recreation, and rest.
If a leader does not take conscious steps to correct the problem, there are several actions that seem to happen almost automatically so the body and mind can protect themselves from longterm damage. We have a health crisis that gets our attention, we lose passion for our situations and change jobs or change spouses or we find a distraction in other activities that take us away from the activity that seems to be what is creating the exhaustion and stress.
One of the auto-corrective actions that appears to be the most innocent looking burnout-buster is distraction.
But, for any leader, distraction is the great enemy of direction.
Read 1 Kings 11:1-43.
Solomon’s leadership had generated prosperity and peace for Israel and most of their neighbors. His wisdom had revolutionized the sciences concerning plants and animals; he was a prolific author and song writer; he had constructed some of the most magnificent buildings ever built; he had created a naval fleet that was the envy of the world; he had amassed a personal fortune and made the nation of Israel a prosperous nation; and he had established treaties with his neighbors that allowed Israel to live in peace for an entire generation for the first time in their history.
But something happened, Solomon drifted away from his leadership mission God had assigned to him.
“As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.”
Was it the pressure to maintain the high level of leadership excellence he had established? Was it physical and psychological exhaustion? Was there some other reason Solomon lost interest in his life’s purpose? The Bible does not tell us. What we do know is the expectations on Solomon were tremendously high in every area of his life.
We also know from Scripture that he found a diversion from his life mission serving God.
“On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.” (vv. 7, 8).
Leaders that use distraction as a means of alleviating burnout tend to follow a process:
- They lower their standard of excellence.
- They become unavailable to their team.
- They find reasons to delay making decisions and become less decisive.
- They divert energy from their assignment and pour their energy into other projects.
- They become self-absorbed, consumed with self rather than their assignment.
- Christian leaders walk away from God and He withdraws His blessing.
- They grow weary of their pursuits and recognize their emptiness.
- They either regain their passion and eliminate the distraction or their influence diminishes, they are replaced, or they find another place to put their passion and harm the original mission.
Are you physically and physiologically exhausted?
Wise leaders continually monitor their leadership life for signs of burnout and seek God’s wisdom for corrective actions and outside help.
Tags: "Devotion with Emotion", Barry Werner, Bible, Christianity, Devotional, Jesus, Last Call, Leadership, Michael James Stone, Sharon
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