March 11, 2025 • 13 mins
Episode Title: Beat Burnout: Strong Teams in 2025
Host: Colby Morris
Published: March 10, 2025
Available on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Other Platforms
Episode Overview
Burnout’s not just lurking—it’s eating your team’s lunch and tanking your productivity. In this episode of the TLD Podcast, host Colby Morris breaks down why employee well-being and retention are your leadership superpowers in 2025. With 73% of leaders reporting change fatigue (Forbes, Oct 2024), it’s time to ditch the corporate wellness clichés and fight back. Colby delivers three actionable strategies to beat burnout, boost morale, and build strong teams—no fluff, just stuff you can use right now.
Perfect for leaders wrestling with hybrid teams, workplace stress, or high turnover, this 30-minute episode blends practical tips, real stories, and a kick to act today. Ready to lead stronger in 2025? Let’s roll.
What You’ll Learn
- Why well-being isn’t a perk—it’s a business strategy for retention and productivity.
- How to build psychological safety that beats burnout (hint: it starts with you).
- A framework to redefine workloads and kill the 40-hour myth.
- Tips to lead for energy, not just output, with energy audits and recharge culture.
Show Segments
- Introduction – Colby sets the stage: Burnout’s real, and well-being’s your secret weapon.
- Why Well-Being Matters – The peanut butter and jelly of retention and health—plus a wake-up call on change fatigue.
- Strategy 1: Psychological Safety – Model vulnerability, reward honesty, and ask better questions (with a story that’ll hit home).
- Strategy 2: Redefine Workloads – Quarterly resets, empowering “no,” and a tale of clarity gone wild.
- Strategy 3: Lead for Energy – Energy audits, flexible schedules, and how banning meetings saved a team.
- Wrap-Up & CTA – Pick one strategy, start this week, and connect with Colby for more.
Show Highlights
- Quote of the Episode: “Burnout’s not waiting for the perfect moment—why should you?”
- Story Spotlight: Colby shares how axing pointless meetings cut stress and boosted output by 20%.
- Actionable Challenge: Try an energy audit this week—ask your team what drains them and what fires them up.
Resources Mentioned
- Forbes Article (Oct 2024): 73% of Leaders See Change Fatigue
- Connect with Colby: LinkedIn | NxtStepAdvisors.com
- Workshops & Speaking: Email colby@nxtstepadvisors.com
Subscribe & Share
Loved this episode? Don’t miss the next one—subscribe and share it with a leader fighting burnout—tag @ColbyMorrisTLD on LinkedIn and let’s keep the conversation going.
Drop a review —tell us how you’re beating burnout in 2025. Colby reads every one (and might shout you out!).
Keywords
employee well-being, leadership strategies 2025, burnout prevention, team retention, psychological safety, workplace energy, hybrid team leadership, productivity tips, change fatigue
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Things Leaders Do, the podcast that
uncovers the secrets of becomingan extraordinary leader.
If you're a leader who'sconstantly seeking growth,
inspiration and tangible ways tolevel up your leadership, then
you've come to the right place.
Remember, the world needsexceptional leaders, and that
leader is you.
Now here's your host, colbyMorris is you.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Now?
Here's your host, colby Morris.
Hello leaders and welcome tothe TLD Podcast.
I'm Colby Morris, your host,and if you're new here, well,
welcome to the party.
I keep it simple Leadershipisn't about fancy titles or
corner offices.
It's about action.
I've led from the sweaty frontlines to the executive suite and
(00:50):
I'm here to hand you tools youcan use today.
No fluff, no corporate jargon,just stuff that works.
My episodes are meant to beshort so you can listen on your
way to work or your way home andimplement it as soon as you get
there.
Today, we're tackling a beastevery leader's feeling, but not
(01:12):
every leader's fixing Employeewell-being and retention.
Look, this isn't some HRbuzzword or something to slap on
a poster.
This is survival.
Forbes dropped a stat inOctober of 2024.
73% of leaders say their teamsare battling change.
(01:34):
Fatigue, burnout isn't justcreeping around the edges of
your business, it's kicked backin the break room.
Eating your snacks is kick backin the break room.
Eating your snacks drainingyour productivity and definitely
tanking your culture.
So let's skip the corporateyoga classes and the drink more
water posters.
(01:55):
We're diving into what actuallyworks to keep your team strong
in 2025.
So buckle up.
This is going to be good.
Here's the deal.
Well-being isn't a perk anymore, like free coffee or a ping
pong table nobody uses.
(02:15):
It's a straight up businessstrategy.
When your team's burnt outengagement nosedives, turnover
spikes and your culture yeah,that's toast you end up spending
more time posting job ads thanactually leading and let me tell
you, scrolling LinkedIn forcandidates at 2 am that's not
(02:39):
the dream you signed up for.
Retention and well-being arelike peanut butter and jelly or,
if you're fancy, avocado andtoast.
You can't have one without theother.
People don't stick around ifthey're running on fumes.
So today I'm giving you threestrategies not fluffy perks, but
(03:00):
real moves to keep your teamhealthy, motivated and locked in
for the long haul.
These are battle testedstraight from my playbook and
I've got stories to prove theywork.
You ready?
Let's roll First uppsychological safety.
(03:22):
I know it sounds like a therapyterm, psychological safety.
I know it sounds like a therapyterm, but stick with me, it's a
game changer.
You can throw all the wellnessstipends and gym memberships at
your team that you want, but ifthey don't feel safe to speak up
, that's like putting a bandaidon a broken leg.
Psychological safety is aboutcreating a vibe where people can
(03:43):
be real, where they can pitchwild ideas and admit they messed
up, or admit, hey, I'm drowninghere Without worrying you'll
fire them or roll your eyes.
So here's how to do it.
You're going to modelvulnerability.
You go first, share a moment.
(04:07):
You weren't the invincibleleader.
Maybe it was that project thatcrashed and burned last year.
Mine was a client pitch thatbombed so hard I still wince
when I think about it.
Or maybe a decision that wentsideways.
When you're human, they getpermission to be human.
Also, two reward honesty.
(04:30):
When someone flags a risk ormiss their stuck, don't give
them the silent treatment.
Celebrate it.
Say thank you, that just savedus a train wreck.
That feedback's gold.
It catches problems before theyblow up.
And then three ask betterquestions.
Ditch that whole generic.
(04:52):
You know how's it going.
No one answers terrible to that.
Try what's one roadblock you'rehitting right now or what's one
thing we could tweak to makeyour job easier.
And then get this.
Listen, really listen, quickstory.
(05:14):
One year I led a team that wascrumbling under quiet pressure.
Deadlines werelines wereslipping, morale was in the
gutter.
Nobody wanted to be the firstto say we're drowning.
So I started every meeting witha confession, something I
struggled with that week.
(05:34):
Like I totally spaced on thatemail chain and that cost us a
day.
That took guts.
But within a month the teamopened up.
One guy even said I'm jugglingthree priorities and failing at
all of them.
So we fixed it.
We shifted workloads, we caughtissues earlier and the culture
(05:57):
went from let's call it shaky torock solid.
That's the power of safety.
Now imagine this what if youtried that this week?
One vulnerable moment from you,what could unlock in your team?
Think about that, all right.
(06:21):
Strategy two I want you toredefine workload expectations.
Burnout isn't always aboutworking too much.
Sometimes it's about working onthe wrong stuff.
You want to beat burnout.
Get ruthless with priorities.
Here's the framework.
First, kill the 40-hour myth.
(06:44):
Stop measuring value by hourslogged.
Now all my Gen X people justrolled their eyes.
They can't believe I said that.
But if someone can crush theirgoals in 30 hours, that's not
laziness, that's a win.
I don't care if they're sippingcoffee at 10 o'clock while the
rest of us are on call.
Number three impact matters, notclock watching.
(07:07):
Number two quarterly priorityresets Every three months.
I want you to sit down witheach team member and ask what
are your top three priorities.
If they list 10 things or worse, they don't know, that's a red
(07:28):
flag.
You have to simplify, laser.
Focus them on what moves theneedle.
And then, number three, I wantyou to empower the no.
If a project's not missioncritical, let your team push
back.
Teach them to say not now andback them up when they do.
(07:49):
Protect their focus like it'sthe last slice of pizza at a
party.
I started doing quarterly resetswith my teams a few years ago
and it was like flipping aswitch.
One guy was juggling sixquote-unquote urgent tasks.
Turns out half were just busywork from a VPp who loved
(08:13):
meetings.
So we cut the dead weight.
We shifted those resources.
We watched how his stress justplummeted from there.
Productivity that was throughthe roof.
People stopped dreading mondaysbecause they knew what actually
mattered.
So here's a challenge your nextmeeting, ask your team what's
(08:36):
one thing that we can kill rightnow and then watch what happens
.
All right.
Strategy three lead for energy,not just output.
Okay, you have to lead forenergy, not just the results.
You don't just manage tasksright, you manage people.
(08:58):
Actually, you lead people andpeople run on energy.
You know that meeting thatcould have been an email energy
vampire.
That project with no clear goaldrains the life out of everyone.
So here's how you flip it.
First, do an energy audit.
(09:19):
Ask your team hey, what sucksyour energy dry around here?
What lights you up?
Then cut the drainers, delegatethem, ditch them whatever it
takes, but double down on theenergizers to flexible schedules
, maybe.
Let people work when they're attheir peak.
(09:39):
Okay, morning people candominate.
At dawn, night owls can rulethe midnight hour.
Stop forcing square pegs intoround holes, if it's at all
possible.
And then, three, recharge theculture.
Normalize real breaks, not theeat a granola bar at your desk
(10:01):
kind.
I mean stepping away.
I once banned meetings from noonto 1 pm on my team.
Guess what?
Yeah, output increased becausepeople came back sharp.
Guess what?
Yeah, output increased becausepeople came back sharp.
I worked with a team that hitburnout hard.
I'm talking missed deadlines,grumpy vibes, the works.
We did an energy audit.
(10:21):
Turns out, 70% of their stresscame from pointless status
meetings.
So we axed half of those, madethe rest 15 minutes max and gave
clear action items.
Three months later, stress wasdown, output was up and people
(10:47):
actually smiled again.
Energy is contagious, good orbad, but you set the tone.
So which of these hit youhardest?
Energy audits, flexibleschedules, whatever it is, pick
one and run with it.
Your team is waiting.
All right, leaders, here's yourmarching order.
(11:11):
Pick one of these strategies,just one.
Maybe it's sharing a struggleto build safety, maybe it's a
priority reset to clear theclutter, or an energy audit to
find the vampires.
But whatever it is, start itthis week, start it tomorrow.
(11:32):
Burnout's not waiting for theperfect moment, okay.
So why should you and here'sthe kicker tell your team, yeah,
be real about it.
Say hey, I heard this idea on apodcast.
Don't laugh, but I think itcould help us.
Let's try it together.
(11:53):
That move.
It builds trust, it buildsbuy-in, it builds momentum.
Now, if this lit a fire underyou and I hope did I'm here to
keep it going.
I run workshops, I speak atevents.
I even hop on one-on-one callswith leaders wrestling with this
stuff.
So hit me up on linkedin orswing by nextstepadvisorscom.
(12:16):
That's nxt, no e, you know whohas time for extra vowels.
Let's build a culture wherewell-being isn't a checkbox but
the foundation.
If this episode hit home, smashthat subscribe button, share it
with a leader who's fightingburnout, yours or theirs.
(12:36):
Drop me a note on LinkedInthat's in the show notes as well
.
Tell me how you're keeping yourteam strong in 2025.
I read every message and Imight even shout you out in the
next episode.
So, until then, go, lead withstrength and purpose.
Why?
Because those are the thingsthat leaders do.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Because those are the things that leaders do.
Thank you for listening toThings Leaders Do.
If you're looking for more tipson how to be a better leader,
be sure to subscribe to thepodcast and listen to next
week's episode.
Until next time, keep workingon being a better leader by
(13:22):
doing the things that leaders do.
Welcome to Things Leaders Do, the podcast that
uncovers the secrets of becomingan extraordinary leader.
If you're a leader who'sconstantly seeking growth,
inspiration and tangible ways tolevel up your leadership, then
you've come to the right place.
Remember, the world needsexceptional leaders, and that
leader is you.
Now here's your host, colbyMorris is you.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Now?
Here's your host, colby Morris.
Hello leaders and welcome tothe TLD Podcast.
I'm Colby Morris, your host,and if you're new here, well,
welcome to the party.
I keep it simple Leadershipisn't about fancy titles or
corner offices.
It's about action.
I've led from the sweaty frontlines to the executive suite and
(00:50):
I'm here to hand you tools youcan use today.
No fluff, no corporate jargon,just stuff that works.
My episodes are meant to beshort so you can listen on your
way to work or your way home andimplement it as soon as you get
there.
Today, we're tackling a beastevery leader's feeling, but not
(01:12):
every leader's fixing Employeewell-being and retention.
Look, this isn't some HRbuzzword or something to slap on
a poster.
This is survival.
Forbes dropped a stat inOctober of 2024.
73% of leaders say their teamsare battling change.
(01:34):
Fatigue, burnout isn't justcreeping around the edges of
your business, it's kicked backin the break room.
Eating your snacks is kick backin the break room.
Eating your snacks drainingyour productivity and definitely
tanking your culture.
So let's skip the corporateyoga classes and the drink more
water posters.
(01:55):
We're diving into what actuallyworks to keep your team strong
in 2025.
So buckle up.
This is going to be good.
Here's the deal.
Well-being isn't a perk anymore, like free coffee or a ping
pong table nobody uses.
(02:15):
It's a straight up businessstrategy.
When your team's burnt outengagement nosedives, turnover
spikes and your culture yeah,that's toast you end up spending
more time posting job ads thanactually leading and let me tell
you, scrolling LinkedIn forcandidates at 2 am that's not
(02:39):
the dream you signed up for.
Retention and well-being arelike peanut butter and jelly or,
if you're fancy, avocado andtoast.
You can't have one without theother.
People don't stick around ifthey're running on fumes.
So today I'm giving you threestrategies not fluffy perks, but
(03:00):
real moves to keep your teamhealthy, motivated and locked in
for the long haul.
These are battle testedstraight from my playbook and
I've got stories to prove theywork.
You ready?
Let's roll First uppsychological safety.
(03:22):
I know it sounds like a therapyterm, psychological safety.
I know it sounds like a therapyterm, but stick with me, it's a
game changer.
You can throw all the wellnessstipends and gym memberships at
your team that you want, but ifthey don't feel safe to speak up
, that's like putting a bandaidon a broken leg.
Psychological safety is aboutcreating a vibe where people can
(03:43):
be real, where they can pitchwild ideas and admit they messed
up, or admit, hey, I'm drowninghere Without worrying you'll
fire them or roll your eyes.
So here's how to do it.
You're going to modelvulnerability.
You go first, share a moment.
(04:07):
You weren't the invincibleleader.
Maybe it was that project thatcrashed and burned last year.
Mine was a client pitch thatbombed so hard I still wince
when I think about it.
Or maybe a decision that wentsideways.
When you're human, they getpermission to be human.
Also, two reward honesty.
(04:30):
When someone flags a risk ormiss their stuck, don't give
them the silent treatment.
Celebrate it.
Say thank you, that just savedus a train wreck.
That feedback's gold.
It catches problems before theyblow up.
And then three ask betterquestions.
Ditch that whole generic.
(04:52):
You know how's it going.
No one answers terrible to that.
Try what's one roadblock you'rehitting right now or what's one
thing we could tweak to makeyour job easier.
And then get this.
Listen, really listen, quickstory.
(05:14):
One year I led a team that wascrumbling under quiet pressure.
Deadlines werelines wereslipping, morale was in the
gutter.
Nobody wanted to be the firstto say we're drowning.
So I started every meeting witha confession, something I
struggled with that week.
(05:34):
Like I totally spaced on thatemail chain and that cost us a
day.
That took guts.
But within a month the teamopened up.
One guy even said I'm jugglingthree priorities and failing at
all of them.
So we fixed it.
We shifted workloads, we caughtissues earlier and the culture
(05:57):
went from let's call it shaky torock solid.
That's the power of safety.
Now imagine this what if youtried that this week?
One vulnerable moment from you,what could unlock in your team?
Think about that, all right.
(06:21):
Strategy two I want you toredefine workload expectations.
Burnout isn't always aboutworking too much.
Sometimes it's about working onthe wrong stuff.
You want to beat burnout.
Get ruthless with priorities.
Here's the framework.
First, kill the 40-hour myth.
(06:44):
Stop measuring value by hourslogged.
Now all my Gen X people justrolled their eyes.
They can't believe I said that.
But if someone can crush theirgoals in 30 hours, that's not
laziness, that's a win.
I don't care if they're sippingcoffee at 10 o'clock while the
rest of us are on call.
Number three impact matters, notclock watching.
(07:07):
Number two quarterly priorityresets Every three months.
I want you to sit down witheach team member and ask what
are your top three priorities.
If they list 10 things or worse, they don't know, that's a red
(07:28):
flag.
You have to simplify, laser.
Focus them on what moves theneedle.
And then, number three, I wantyou to empower the no.
If a project's not missioncritical, let your team push
back.
Teach them to say not now andback them up when they do.
(07:49):
Protect their focus like it'sthe last slice of pizza at a
party.
I started doing quarterly resetswith my teams a few years ago
and it was like flipping aswitch.
One guy was juggling sixquote-unquote urgent tasks.
Turns out half were just busywork from a VPp who loved
(08:13):
meetings.
So we cut the dead weight.
We shifted those resources.
We watched how his stress justplummeted from there.
Productivity that was throughthe roof.
People stopped dreading mondaysbecause they knew what actually
mattered.
So here's a challenge your nextmeeting, ask your team what's
(08:36):
one thing that we can kill rightnow and then watch what happens
.
All right.
Strategy three lead for energy,not just output.
Okay, you have to lead forenergy, not just the results.
You don't just manage tasksright, you manage people.
(08:58):
Actually, you lead people andpeople run on energy.
You know that meeting thatcould have been an email energy
vampire.
That project with no clear goaldrains the life out of everyone.
So here's how you flip it.
First, do an energy audit.
(09:19):
Ask your team hey, what sucksyour energy dry around here?
What lights you up?
Then cut the drainers, delegatethem, ditch them whatever it
takes, but double down on theenergizers to flexible schedules
, maybe.
Let people work when they're attheir peak.
(09:39):
Okay, morning people candominate.
At dawn, night owls can rulethe midnight hour.
Stop forcing square pegs intoround holes, if it's at all
possible.
And then, three, recharge theculture.
Normalize real breaks, not theeat a granola bar at your desk
(10:01):
kind.
I mean stepping away.
I once banned meetings from noonto 1 pm on my team.
Guess what?
Yeah, output increased becausepeople came back sharp.
Guess what?
Yeah, output increased becausepeople came back sharp.
I worked with a team that hitburnout hard.
I'm talking missed deadlines,grumpy vibes, the works.
We did an energy audit.
(10:21):
Turns out, 70% of their stresscame from pointless status
meetings.
So we axed half of those, madethe rest 15 minutes max and gave
clear action items.
Three months later, stress wasdown, output was up and people
(10:47):
actually smiled again.
Energy is contagious, good orbad, but you set the tone.
So which of these hit youhardest?
Energy audits, flexibleschedules, whatever it is, pick
one and run with it.
Your team is waiting.
All right, leaders, here's yourmarching order.
(11:11):
Pick one of these strategies,just one.
Maybe it's sharing a struggleto build safety, maybe it's a
priority reset to clear theclutter, or an energy audit to
find the vampires.
But whatever it is, start itthis week, start it tomorrow.
(11:32):
Burnout's not waiting for theperfect moment, okay.
So why should you and here'sthe kicker tell your team, yeah,
be real about it.
Say hey, I heard this idea on apodcast.
Don't laugh, but I think itcould help us.
Let's try it together.
(11:53):
That move.
It builds trust, it buildsbuy-in, it builds momentum.
Now, if this lit a fire underyou and I hope did I'm here to
keep it going.
I run workshops, I speak atevents.
I even hop on one-on-one callswith leaders wrestling with this
stuff.
So hit me up on linkedin orswing by nextstepadvisorscom.
(12:16):
That's nxt, no e, you know whohas time for extra vowels.
Let's build a culture wherewell-being isn't a checkbox but
the foundation.
If this episode hit home, smashthat subscribe button, share it
with a leader who's fightingburnout, yours or theirs.
(12:36):
Drop me a note on LinkedInthat's in the show notes as well
.
Tell me how you're keeping yourteam strong in 2025.
I read every message and Imight even shout you out in the
next episode.
So, until then, go, lead withstrength and purpose.
Why?
Because those are the thingsthat leaders do.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Because those are the things that leaders do.
Thank you for listening toThings Leaders Do.
If you're looking for more tipson how to be a better leader,
be sure to subscribe to thepodcast and listen to next
week's episode.
Until next time, keep workingon being a better leader by
(13:22):
doing the things that leaders do.
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