Are You Caught In the Sacrifice Syndrome?
Peak Potential Article from the Australian Leadership Development Centre
Leaders face unique stresses and challenges in their day-to-day work lives. The very nature of leadership involves so much giving on our part. Yet, overtime, as we spend so much time putting out other people’s bush fires and jumping from crises to crises, we become drained of the passion we once had for our work. This is magnified by living a role where every act you make is being evaluated by someone, be they staff, bosses or clients. Leaders become their own worst enemy because this constant giving of yourself without time for renewal is not only bad for you, it has a negative effect on you leadership of the staff around you. Are you:
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Getting home later and starting work earlier, yet still have more to do.
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Finding less time for the things you truly enjoy.
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Disconnecting from friends and family.
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Not smiling and laughing as much as you used to.
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Frequently thinking about how to escape your current situation?
If so, you may be sliding into what organisational psychologists refer to as the sacrifice syndrome, and unless you do something about it both your work performance and personal life may suffer.
Once caught in the sacrifice syndrome leaders unwittingly take up one or more defensive routines which only serve to keep sliding down the slippery slope of emotional exhaustion. According to Richard Boyatzis, such routines include:
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Habitual cynicism.
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Acting out learned hopelessness (if only ‘they’ would).
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Over-reacting to situations.
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Taking unnecessary risks at work in an attempt to get some of that ‘good feeling’ back again.
While it is healthy to pursue activities and relationships outside of work, leader’s need far more than a bit of rest and relaxation to get out of the downward spiral of the sacrifice syndrome.
They need
executive renewal!