I recently took a break from my work as a Leadership Coach to serve as crew chief for an ultramarathon runner. My friend Russell planned to complete a challenging 107-mile race in the mountains of Creede, Colorado. This experience reconnected me to high-impact organizational tools that are universal to sustaining hard work.
One could argue that running in the night while pelted with hail at 13,000 feet is not something one would choose to do. Yet, people do these things. People run 100 miles, climb 8,000-meter mountains, start companies, become parents, accept new jobs, and serve children in public schools. Great organizations frequently take on seemingly impossible tasks as well. Sometimes the good people who serve these organizations burnout. Without a clear why, a plan to leverage emotion, systems for creating leadership density, robust action plans, and a healthy appreciation for the benefits of reframing discomfort, many organizations unwittingly allow energy and commitment to fade away.
Over the years, I've found five tools that deliver oxygen to teams facing burnout:
Start with Why. The core values of the organization and the people who serve it must align. The why was clear for Russell. A two-time combat veteran, he ran to explore the unknown space between physical and mental exhaustion to invent new cognitive tools for taking the next step. We all face these gaps between what we believe we can do and what we can accomplish. In my leadership and coaching experience, most people can invent a way forward in the face of the seemingly impossible. They do so when what the organization is trying to accomplish resonates.
Big Ideas Attract; Details Provide Traction.We engage people emotionally first and rationally second. Russell's why was a big idea that inspired him and his crew. Without this big idea, the team might not have felt an urgency to rub down his legs at each aid station. The rubdowns created the traction he needed to get back up. Without the gravity of our emotions, this work would have been draining. Instead, it was exhilarating.
Create Leadership Density. Leadership is everyone's job. No one talked about it. The mantra that we repeated was, "Everything is about Russell. No exceptions." Instead of being burdensome, this development of leadership density between us motivated us to hold each other up. For example, after I drove for a hundred miles of dirt roads to the next aid station in the middle of the night before becoming a pacer for my 12-mile segment, my team gave me the tent and sleeping bags to give me a better chance three hours in the future. It was a central part of the "service ethos" of our crew.
Action Plans Must Be Both Highly Detailed and Flexible. The first 25 miles will not be anything like the final 25. Our initial action plan included checklists, rehearsals of what to ask, and carefully laid out supplies. In the wilderness, the weather (hail) and conditions (deep mud and rain) caused us to adjust what Russell would need at each aid station and the order with which we paced him.
Be Grateful for Discomfort. Pain is the forge where we hammer new tools. "When something bad happens, you have three choices. You can let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you." ~Unknown. Between miles 80 and 92 in this vast wilderness, I paced Russell. This was a segment where we ascended 2300 feet in less than 4 miles, crawled over boulder and scree fields, and ran through thunderstorms above treeline. More than once, as Russell approached a new obstacle, he'd say, "When I see the race course designer at the end, I'm going to punch him. Then, I'll say thank you." His words put a lump in my throat. It was this combination of rage and thankfulness that blew me away. As much as Russell needed the pain to stop, he was grateful for it - even after mile 90. In those moments, Russell taught me each obstacle was a new opportunity to prevail.
Create Leadership Density. Leadership is everyone's job. No one talked about it. The mantra that we repeated was, "Everything is about Russell. No exceptions." Instead of being burdensome, this development of leadership density between us motivated us to hold each other up. For example, after I drove for a hundred miles of dirt roads to the next aid station in the middle of the night before becoming a pacer for my 12-mile segment, my team gave me the tent and sleeping bags to give me a better chance three hours in the future. It was a central part of the "service ethos" of our crew.
Action Plans Must Be Both Highly Detailed and Flexible. The first 25 miles will not be anything like the final 25. Our initial action plan included checklists, rehearsals of what to ask, and carefully laid out supplies. In the wilderness, the weather (hail) and conditions (deep mud and rain) caused us to adjust what Russell would need at each aid station and the order with which we paced him.
Be Grateful for Discomfort. Pain is the forge where we hammer new tools. "When something bad happens, you have three choices. You can let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you." ~Unknown. Between miles 80 and 92 in this vast wilderness, I paced Russell. This was a segment where we ascended 2300 feet in less than 4 miles, crawled over boulder and scree fields, and ran through thunderstorms above treeline. More than once, as Russell approached a new obstacle, he'd say, "When I see the race course designer at the end, I'm going to punch him. Then, I'll say thank you." His words put a lump in my throat. It was this combination of rage and thankfulness that blew me away. As much as Russell needed the pain to stop, he was grateful for it - even after mile 90. In those moments, Russell taught me each obstacle was a new opportunity to prevail.
Again and again, these five tools for creating oxygen for teams refueled Russell during this race. They ignited his crew. These tools helped Russell ensure success beyond what physical conditioning, self-control, and eight months of intense training could accomplish alone. Russell's completion of 107 miles in 38 hours directly resulted from his leadership and the team he inspired into action. He clarified the why, linked it to small steps, created leadership density, stayed focused yet flexible, and modeled what can grow from discomfort. Leadership, at its core, is leveraging these five tools for the benefit of others.
-Chris Briggs-Hale is CEO of Waterfall Learning. He is a Professional Leadership Coach and retired school principal who serves leaders in many fields. For more information about how Leadership Coaching with Chris can support whatever professional or life challenge you face, contact him at briggshale@gmail.com or visit https://waterfalllearning.com
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References:
Sinek, S. (2011). Start with why. Penguin Books.
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2011). Switch. Random House Business Books.
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2007). The leadership challenge. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Wiseman, Liz., (2010, December 10).Is Your Burnout From Too Much Work or Too Little Impact?
Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2021/12/is-your-burnout-from-too-much-work-or-too-little-impact
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2011). Switch. Random House Business Books.
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2007). The leadership challenge. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Wiseman, Liz., (2010, December 10).Is Your Burnout From Too Much Work or Too Little Impact?
Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2021/12/is-your-burnout-from-too-much-work-or-too-little-impact
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