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Burnout Isn’t the Problem. It’s the Signal.
Most leaders treat burnout like a fire to put out. But what if it’s actually the smoke from a deeper design flaw?
In a conversation with energy and culture expert Josh Allan Dykstra, we explored why leaders need to stop trying to “bounce back” from burnout and instead build systems where burnout is far less likely in the first place.
Josh doesn’t believe burnout is a personal failure. In fact, he challenges a common leadership assumption: that resilience means enduring more. Instead, he defines it as recovering faster and needing to recover less often.
This simple shift, from enduring to designing, is a game-changer for any leader committed to building a sustainable high-performance culture.
Why This Matters for Leaders
In most organizations, we design for productivity, not vitality. We obsess over output but rarely ask, “How does energy flow through our team?”
The consequence? Teams running on empty. Leaders stuck in reactive mode. Cultures that normalize exhaustion.
Josh flips that model. He encourages leaders to see energy as a design element. Not just something individuals manage, but something organizations actively shape.
The question becomes: How do we design work so that it gives energy rather than just drains it?
The Science of Aliveness at Work
Josh’s research points to a foundational insight: when people are aligned with their energy sources—what lights them up—they become more creative, collaborative, and resilient.
In neuroscience terms, we’re shifting from sympathetic nervous system overdrive (fight/flight/freeze) into parasympathetic states where restoration, innovation, and deeper connection become possible.
In other words, vitality is the precursor to performance. Not the other way around.
Action Steps You Can Take This Week
- Audit for aliveness. Ask your team: Which parts of your work give you energy? Which parts deplete you? Start there—not with another tool or tactic, but with curiosity.
- Design for energy rhythms. Josh suggests we treat energy like a natural rhythm, not a fixed resource. Build in recharge zones. Encourage energy-aligned scheduling (for instance, don’t hold your most strategic meetings at 4 p.m. on a Friday).
- Name the patterns. Often, burnout stems from unconscious over-functioning. That’s where pattern recognition comes in—a skill we develop through tools like the Enneagram. The more you understand your own reflexes, the more freedom you have to design your leadership intentionally.
The Real Future of Work? Aliveness.
At Meritage, we’ve always said: Your greatest strength can also be your biggest blind spot.
But your energy, when designed wisely, can be your greatest asset. Not just for your own sustainability, but for your team’s ability to thrive in complexity.
Josh leaves us with this reminder: “Work is a place where energy should rise, not fall.” If you’re a leader, that starts with you.
Let’s design for energy, not just efficiency.
For deeper insights into how your leadership patterns affect team energy, explore the Enneagram Applied program.