Sunday, November 30, 2008

learning from burnout - the responsibility is not only yours

The EFMD Brussels was the place last friday where authors Tim Casserley and Prof. David Megginson launched their book ( BTW two days before the London Launch)
Prof. Megginson is profssor of HRD at Sheffield Hallam University, and founder of the Coaching and Mentoring Research unit, and a succesful author with a unique expertise on the subjects of mentoring,coaching and selfdevelopment . Tim Casserley was, as he explained, caught in a serious burnout in his early thirties.. and together with prof. Megginson, he interviewed in depth 100 high flyers for 3 hours, of whom only 6% came to transformational learning after 3 to 5 years of living in trauma. They estimate 20% of the top talent pool is at risk, primarly young high flyers in the first 10 years of career. So more than 95% comes to derailment, reduced engagement and commitment, or deterioration of welbeing and vitality.
I know people who suffer from burnout. They are not so young flyers, but also have put high standards in their work, and had the same individual characteristics as noticed by the authors : identity derived primarly from work, a purpose rooted in need for recognition(and fame)and lacking quality interaction.
I asked the authors as these characteristics are known,if the risk of a self drive towards burnout could not be assessed at the moment of the selection of the candidates . Prof Megginson stated that this was difficult as this drive is so intertwined with the characteristics of the person making him an high flyer.
Yet I have a different opinion : I think recruters have a responsabily as to check how much the candidate identifies himself mostly by only his work and career. One may be ambitious, but ambition is a death end when the talent in one self is seen as unlimited and only as an individual journey. This can be easyly done in any recrutement assessment. It is a kind of maturity check. After all, if 20% of the high flyers crash on naked ground, checking this risk represents a yield of 20% for the employer if he sets out the right conditions for his high flyer to not take off to the stratosphere. Thus is by coaching, by teamleadership,.. After all : prevention is better than cure, offering wisdom, maturity, perspective. And if one doubts about ways to achieve this, check this link : or this one : http://www.ontrackcoaching.com/articles/developmental_coaching.htm
This provides in what is put as conclusion in chapter 7 of the book: a leadership sustainability chart.
I recommend this book to all in an HR position, to all recruiting officers or assessors, and all would be highflyers, whether they 'll be leader or (only?) just excellent achievers