How leaders can use feedback to disrupt the burnout - stress cycle

I was working with an organisation recently, and we were talking about the culture of feedback within their team.  They spoke about being time poor, exhausted and too busy to have feedback conversations. ‘There’s no time. We are struggling to keep our heads above water and now you are asking us to do something else.’

We often think burnout is the result of too much stress. Research has found that burnout can also become a source of stress. It’s kind of like which comes first, the chicken or the egg.  To me, it doesn’t matter. Let’s rise above both the chicken and the egg and look at what is really going on.

Causes of  Burnout & Stress

When people feel exhausted, depleted, and running on empty, everyday work starts to feel heavier. Decisions take more effort. Feedback conversations feel harder. Change can feel overwhelming. The workload may not have changed, but the person’s capacity to offer and receive feedback has.

That matters for leaders because burnout can create a difficult cycle. Exhaustion makes work feel more stressful, and that increased stress fuels further exhaustion. Without support, people can begin to feel stuck, powerless, and less confident in their ability to cope. Without feedback conversations (both upwards and downwards), people are less likely to share how they are feeling and ask for support, and the cycle continues…

Three things leaders can do to disrupt the burnout-stress cycle 

1. This is where feedback becomes powerful. Offer feedback as a way of showing support for the other person.

2. Use feedback conversations as opportunities to ask for feedback about their workload, capacity, and how people are travelling.

3. Listen in feedback conversations. Even taking just five minutes to truly listen helps people feel seen, heard, and more importantly, valued and trusted.

Three Questions Leaders can ask in Feedback Conversations:

1. “What is feeling harder than it needs to right now?”

2. “What support would make the biggest difference?”

3. “Where do you need more clarity, choice, or breathing room?”

These questions build empathy. They reduce assumptions and help create psychological safety. They also give people the opportunity to name what is draining their energy, so together you can identify a useful next step.

Burnout nd stress are not solved by telling people to be more resilient. It is addressed by understanding what is happening, offering support, and helping people regain a sense of power, confidence, and control. This happens through feedback conversations.

Feedback conversations drive performance. And sometimes, the most powerful leadership move is helping someone breathe again.

P.S. Share this with a leader who could benefit from this weekly update. It’s an easy way to support their leadership growth.