In a recent LinkedIn post, Stephanie Hills, Ph.D. discusses the often-overlooked dangers of constant availability and the subtle signs of burnout in high-performing employees. She shares a personal reflection on her own past experiences, highlighting how a 24/7 work ethic, once worn as a badge of honor, came at a significant personal and professional cost.
Stephanie Hills, Ph.D. writes:
“I wore 24/7 availability like a badge of honor. Until I realized what it was costing me.”
She elaborates on a period in her career where she consistently answered every call, stepped into every problem, and ensured the team’s needs were met, regardless of the personal toll. This pattern, she explains, led to an ever-increasing workload, as her continued delivery made it easy for more responsibilities to be piled on.
The High Performer’s Dilemma: Silence and Overload
Stephanie Hills, Ph.D. points out that many high performers fall into a similar trap. Instead of voicing their struggles, they continue to produce, internalizing the pressure. This often leads to a situation where burnout is not recognized until performance inevitably begins to suffer.
According to Stephanie Hills, Ph.D., the tendency for these individuals is not to complain or admit they are carrying too much. They simply keep delivering, often until a breaking point is reached.
“That’s what many high performers do. They don’t always raise their hand and say: ‘I’m overloaded.’ ‘I’m exhausted.’ ‘I need help.'”
This personal experience, she notes, profoundly reshaped her approach to leadership. The realization that her strongest team members didn’t necessarily need more pressure, but rather different kinds of support, became a cornerstone of her leadership philosophy.
Rethinking Leadership: Support, Not Just Push
Stephanie Hills, Ph.D. argues that effective leadership in today’s demanding environment requires a more nuanced approach to managing top talent. Instead of pushing high performers harder, leaders should focus on providing the right kind of support to prevent burnout and sustain long-term productivity.
Key Leadership Strategies for Preventing Burnout
In her post, Stephanie Hills, Ph.D. outlines several critical elements that leaders should prioritize:
- Clear Priorities: Ensuring team members understand what is most important.
- Permission to Say No: Empowering individuals to set boundaries and decline non-essential tasks.
- Trust to Make Decisions: Granting autonomy and confidence in their judgment.
- Removing Unnecessary Work: Actively identifying and eliminating tasks that do not add value or contribute to core objectives.
- Observational Leadership: A leader’s ability to notice signs of overload before performance declines significantly.
Stephanie Hills, Ph.D. emphasizes that high performance can mask significant workload issues for extended periods. She advocates for leaders to develop the crucial skill of perceiving both an employee’s strong output and the potential for underlying overload.
“High performance can hide overload for a long time. Good leaders learn to see both.”
For leaders navigating periods of change and seeking strategies to support their teams without burning out their most valuable assets, Stephanie Hills, Ph.D. offers her expertise, inviting conversations on how to achieve sustainable high performance.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Stephanie Hills, Ph.D. on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on October 3, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →