{"id":11366,"date":"2023-01-25T09:13:15","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T09:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aurelis.org\/blog\/?p=11366"},"modified":"2023-01-25T16:26:01","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T16:26:01","slug":"from-boss-to-burnout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aurelis.org\/blog\/open-leadership\/from-boss-to-burnout","title":{"rendered":"From Boss to Burnout"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s not about the amount of work but the amount of meaningless work. In contrast to a leader \u2013 let alone an Open Leader \u2013 a boss doesn\u2019t take care of meaningfulness. That\u2019s why they call him \u2018the boss<\/em>.\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Boss to blame?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not exactly. It\u2019s not because one doesn\u2019t take good care of something that one does that on purpose. Ignorance may be at play, even with the best intentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This definitely encompasses ignorance in the depth of the human being \u2015 within a vast environment (being a worldwide issue) that is replete of such ignorance. I think it\u2019s best to say nobody is to blame except possibly the ones who specifically delve into the matter at an essential level. I dare say this includes me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without at least some fundamental insights into deep motivation<\/a> and other human profundities, it\u2019s not easy to be more than a boss in many relevant circumstances. On top of that, there is also knowing how to put the insights into action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From boss to burnout<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considering the above, a boss pushes people beyond meaningfulness. That may seem \u2013 given the work \u2013 the most rational thing to do for him. Eventually, the work needs to be done, so workers need to be made to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the recipe for a long and winding road of burnout<\/a>. Presently, we see too much of that. Beware the (near) future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about \u2018born leaders\u2019?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A born leader can be seen as one who naturally carries the needed insight and willingness to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This insight may by itself be a competence without comprehension. That is, if you ask a born leader to explain why he does what he does, he may think he knows it, but that isn\u2019t necessarily true. He may be a victim of the expert syndrome<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That also makes it challenging to emulate him without the insights in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broadly seen, meaningful work is work that people like to do.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if it\u2019s dangerous, repetitive, challenging in complexity, or emotionally demanding. The more there is one of these, of course, the more critical meaningfulness becomes. For instance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n