This is the one question leaders need to ask themselves

You’ve carried the weight of big decisions, the pressure to perform, to lead and deliver, all despite what’s happening behind the scenes. You’ve navigated through uncertainty and change, providing the space for everyone else to thrive. It’s a feeling that the most capable leaders feel. It’s not quite burnout, but a kind of dullness. A slow drain. A fog that creeps in quietly and makes it harder to stay clear, connected, and grounded.

According to the World Health Organization, workplace stress and burnout now account for a significant portion of global absenteeism and reduced productivity, and the numbers continue to rise. I’m seeing a common thread when I work with leaders across industries, whether that be law enforcement or wellness retreats. People aren’t running out of time, but they’re running out of energy. When energy drops, so does everything else—performance, presence, and purpose.

It’s not about time, it’s about energy

We’ve all been taught to manage time. But the real performance driver isn’t time, it’s energy. Energy is what allows you to think clearly in complexity, connect with others under pressure, and make confident decisions without tipping into fatigue.

When your energy is low, you still function, but you’re surviving, not thriving. This is where leadership needs to evolve. Rather than controlling outcomes, you need to sustain the people driving them. When you’ve optimized your energy, you can be more creative, consistent, and connected in your performance.

A tool for performance and reflection

To help people understand and manage their energy, my team and I developed a framework that assesses four key domains in under 60 seconds:

• Physical: Stamina and recovery
• Mental: Clarity and focus
• Emotional: Resilience and regulation
• Social: Connection and support

It’s not about perfect scores. It’s about cultivating awareness and building habits that support performance and well-being, day after day. We call this Human Energy Intelligence. It’s a measurable approach to well-being that fuels consistent output, healthy cultures, and resilient teams.

From reactive to regenerative

Many organizations rely on reactive strategies like Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). They’re valuable, but in my observation, they tend to step in after burnout hits. Research from an Australian State Insurance Regulatory Authority shows that EAP usage rates often fall below 10%, despite widespread availability. A proactive Employee Empowerment Program focuses on daily energy management, equipping people with tools to recharge before breakdowns occur. This shift from “problem solving” to “performance enabling” creates environments where people don’t just survive the demands of leadership, but grow through them.

Leadership isn’t lonely, it just feels that way

One of my favorite things to do is to sit in nature with a leader, no agenda, no phone, just space and silence. And it’s always in those quiet moments that the truth surfaces: they talk about purpose, doubt, and the invisible weight they carry. And what I’ve learned is this: even high-achieving leaders can feel deeply disconnected—from themselves, their teams, and their sense of clarity.

Connected leadership changes that. It invites leaders to lead from within, not just in front. It encourages them to be real, rather than just responsible. It’s not soft, it’s strategic. And it’s what the future of leadership demands.

You can’t scale burnout

Across every sector I’ve worked in, whether it’s elite performance or public service, one truth is clear: you can’t scale outcomes without energy. People aren’t leaving jobs because of KPIs. They’re leaving because they feel exhausted, unseen, or disconnected. According to McKinsey’s 2023 Health Institute Report, over 60% of employees globally report struggling with their well-being at work. After all, culture isn’t just what happens between colleagues; it’s how people feel inside themselves. And leadership has a direct impact on that internal state.

So consider asking yourself, How’s the battery? If you’ve been running on autopilot lately, powering through but feeling foggy, reactive, or a little flat, that matters. Because what you build out there will only go as far as what you sustain inside. So, take a moment. Breathe. And ask yourself: How’s your battery, really?