Episode 143 59 min How to give feedback people actually hear
Engineering leader Theo Grant shares the one-on-one format he uses with 60 engineers, and why most feedback fails before the first sentence.
Season 4 · Episode 146 Life beyond work
The quiet art of managing burnout
Psychologist Elena Marquez on spotting exhaustion before it spreads through a team, and what managers can do on Monday morning.
GuestElena Marquez — Organisational psychologist
Episode 146 The quiet art of managing burnout
0:00 48:30
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Show notes
Burnout rarely arrives all at once. In this episode, organisational psychologist Dr. Elena Marquez explains how it builds quietly through a team — and why the earliest signs often look like attitude problems rather than exhaustion.
Elena and Maya talk through the research, the myths and the very practical changes managers can make this week, from cutting work in progress to protecting real time off.
This episode is general information, not medical advice. If you are struggling, please talk to a qualified professional.
What we cover
- The three dimensions of burnout and how they show up at work
- Why yoga classes and pizza Fridays don’t fix workload problems
- A simple weekly check-in that surfaces risk early
- How leaders can model recovery without making it a performance
Key takeaways
- Burnout is usually a workload and control problem, not a resilience problem.
- Cynicism is often the first visible sign — before exhaustion.
- Managers can reduce burnout risk most by clarifying priorities and removing work.
- Recovery needs real detachment: checking email on holiday resets the clock.
Timestamps
Transcript excerpt
Maya What is the first thing you look for in a team that's struggling?
Elena Jokes. When the humour turns bitter — when people start joking about how nothing they do matters — that's usually months before anyone says they're exhausted.
About the guest
Elena Marquez
Organisational psychologist
Dr. Elena Marquez is an organisational psychologist who works with fast-growing companies on workload, recovery and team health. She previously led wellbeing research at a large public hospital and now advises leadership teams across healthcare and technology.
Links & resources
Episode 143 59 min 
Episode 144 51 min Leaving a dream job at the top
Hannah Brooks on walking away from a VP role to start over at 41, and how she made the decision with incomplete information.
Episode 138 52 min Leading remote teams across nine time zones
CTO Oliver Bennett on writing-first culture, async decisions and the meetings his team refuses to cancel.
Episode 148 63 min Why the best ideas start as side projects
Priya Nair on building a 40-person design studio from a weekend hobby — and why she still protects time for projects that might go nowhere.
Episode 147 55 min Saying no to funding, twice
Daniel Okafor explains why he bootstrapped his logistics software company to $8M in revenue instead of taking venture capital.
Episode 145 67 min Writing every day for ten years
Novelist Marcus Lee on routine, rejection and the 3,000-word mornings that produced four books and one very large drawer of drafts.
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