How Can We Recognize the Early Signs of Burnout in Our High-Performing Teams?
High-Performing Teams
In my 30s, I led global product launches, sat at the table with powerful decision-makers, and kept a packed calendar that made me feel important.
So important, I mistook it for passion.
Passion that made me lose patience quickly.
That demanded excellence.
That talked over others.
That left me drained and resentful.
Sometimes it felt like I was watching a movie.
I didn’t recognize myself.
Who is this person who expects everyone to think and move as fast as she does?
Who dismisses others if they don’t “get it” right away?
What I thought was drive… was actually reactivity.
What I thought was leadership… was me stuck in a survival loop.
And what I thought was passion… was my nervous system in overdrive, my creativity shut down, and my team walking on eggshells.
That was burnout—long before I had the language for it.
And here’s what I’ve since learned: burnout rarely begins with missed deadlines. It starts with subtle shifts in energy and presence. Which means leaders have to know how to notice the signs—especially in high performers who are most skilled at masking their struggles.
Why High Performers Often Hide Burnout
High achievers have been rewarded their whole careers for:
pushing through exhaustion,
saying yes to more responsibility, and
proving themselves with intensity.
This conditioning makes it harder for them to admit they’re struggling. Instead, they mask burnout by working harder—until they can’t anymore.
Early Emotional and Behavioral Warning Signs
Burnout often begins in the body and behavior before it shows in performance.
Look for:
Irritability, defensiveness, or reactivity.
Withdrawal from collaboration or new ideas.
Reliance on urgency instead of clarity.
Difficulty letting go of tasks or decisions.
Constant intensity that feels more like pressure than passion.
These changes are red flags that someone is running on fumes.
How Leaders Can Spot Burnout in Tech Teams
Leaders who want to catch burnout early need to look beyond output and ask:
How are people showing up? Are they present, or just performing?
Where are they over-involved? Do they struggle to delegate out of fear?
Is intensity driving results—or draining energy?
True leadership isn’t about being in every detail. It’s about noticing the energy of the room and creating the conditions for creativity and trust.
Practical Shifts to Prevent Burnout Before It Spreads
Ask different questions. Not just “What’s done?” but “How are you feeling about the work?”
Normalize delegation. Over-ownership is a red flag, not a strength.
Model presence. Calm minds make sharper decisions. Steady leaders build resilient teams.
Balance urgency with spaciousness. Intensity might deliver short-term results, but presence sustains long-term success.
The Conscious Leadership Takeaway
Burnout doesn't begin in the to-do list—it begins in the energy beneath the work.
High performers may hide their struggles, but leaders who pay attention to presence, patterns, and energy will spot burnout before it costs the team their creativity and trust.
This is what Conscious Leadership Team Coaching offers: a way to see how your internal state shapes your external impact—and a practical path to shift from pressure to presence.
If you're curious where your own leadership energy sits, let's explore it together.