Burn Out: How Leaders Can Manage a Two Trillion Dollar Problem

The article features insights from Sharon Melnick, a Yale- and Harvard-educated business psychologist with more than two decades of experience coaching senior executives.

Now incorporating perspectives from the Global Counsel Leaders community, the article challenges conventional thinking about burnout. Drawing on research from Gallup and McKinsey, Dr. Melnick explains why workload alone is not the true driver of burnout—even in the C-suite—and why traditional wellness initiatives fall short.

Instead, she reframes burnout as a loss of personal power, defined by agency, emotional sovereignty, and self-efficacy. Through real-world executive examples, Melnick demonstrates how leaders can restore energy, clarity, and impact for themselves and their teams.

The article offers practical guidance for leaders seeking to prevent burnout, strengthen loyalty, and sustain high performance in an era of constant pressure.

Read the article and Q&A: click here.

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