Ladies! The most productive leaders aren't the ones doing more, they're the ones brave enough to stop. Leadership & Burnout expert Hawa Kombian learned this working in Sierra Leone during the Ebola crisis: when you're so focused on thoughtfulness for the outside world, you might miss integrating that same thoughtfulness within your own organisation.
So what separates sustainable leaders from those heading toward burnout?
The masks that hide your burnout patterns
You can recognise the four masks that mission-driven leaders wear. You're probably wearing one right now. It comes from the Fight-Flight-Freeze-Fawn response.
The Realist (Fight):
You've made perfectionism your superpower. When you control everything and meet every expectation flawlessly, people will be happy with you. You fight any sense of rest because you believe ultimate control equals ultimate success.
The Hero (Flight):
You take on everything solo because "if you want something done right, do it yourself." You avoid involving others to protect your vision, but you're building dependency, not a team.
The Innocent (Freeze):
You hide your real needs because you don't believe people will meet you where you're at. You protect yourself by never being vulnerable about what you actually need.
The Saint (Fawn):
You say yes to everything because being needed feels like being valued. You meet everyone else's demands while your own needs disappear.
Here's the truth: These masks worked at some point. But what got you here won't get you there.
Stop mistaking resilience for endurance
Most leaders think resilience means "I can handle more." But when you reframe it as "If I'm going to run a marathon for the next 10 years in my business, what would my day-to-day need to look like?" everything shifts.
Real resilience isn't adding more practices to your overflowing schedule. It's like treating a sprained ankle, you wouldn’t ice it AND keep running. You stop and rest for the injury to heal then review whether that’s the sport for you!
The values audit that changes everything
Take your organisational values and ask: "How does this value show up internally within our team?" When you don't have a clear answer, it’s time to co-create one.
Next: "What would we need to stop doing to create space for this value?" Maybe it's constant Slack messaging. Maybe it's back-to-back meetings. Maybe it's believing that caring means never setting boundaries.
You can move from concept to action. Schedule weekly check-ins. Protect strategic thinking time. Model the boundaries you want your team to have.
Why this matters now
People don't leave jobs; they leave managers who haven't learnt that caring for people starts with caring for yourself.
The first relationship that needs to be healthy is the one you have with yourself. You can't give what you don't have.
Ready to unmask your burnout patterns? Start by asking: "What mask am I wearing, and what would I need to stop doing to create space for change?"
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About our Resilient Entrepreneurs Podcast Guest:
Hawa Kombian is a leadership burnout and resilience coach focused on sustainable success in mission-driven work. With experience in humanitarian and development spaces, including post-Ebola Sierra Leone, she helps leaders break cycles that keep them stuck so they can create lasting impact without burning out their teams.
🎧 Hear Hawa's complete framework on this week's Resilient Entrepreneurs Podcast.
Until next week, founders! Remember, entrepreneurship isn't about having all the answers - it's about backing yourself when the answers aren't clear yet.
If you, like us, love to lean in and keep growing, we'd love to see you at our next free masterclass on Thought-Leadership & Personal Branding.
Vicki Abraham and Laura Ann Bell
Resilient Entrepreneurs Podcast | RE: Women Founders Circle
