3 Lessons PM Jacinda Ardern Taught Us About Burnout

What did the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, teach us about burnout? Nothing really. But she taught us even greater lessons that haven’t been considered as some media outlets portray her as a “failure.”?

PM Ardern’s resignation is a sobering reminder of the challenges women experience in the workplace. Although she cited “burnout” as the cause, there are over 20 years of challenges and sacrifices all wrapped up in that word.

The White Labeling of Burnout

Burnout has become a white label for all the B.S. that women endure while climbing the ladder of success. Burnout means daily experiences of disrespect, psychological warfare, sexism, mansplaining, bullying (by men and women), and misogyny in the professional and personal lives of women.

Great leaders are made through blood, sweat, and tears but it’s harder for women to show up healthy and whole if inner work isn’t consistently and constantly being done along the path of success. When some women finally shatter the glass ceiling, many succumb to the additional wounds that the shattering created.

Why? Because they were secretly bleeding from all the battle scars of the journey, and they were so focused on the “next win” that they never slow down long enough to properly tend to their wounds.

Hiding internal brokenness is normal. Hanging on by a thread mentally and physically are engrained habits that women shield with awards and material possessions acquired by the fruits of their “success.”

There is a better way.

Bowing Out Isn't a Sign of Weakness - It's a Sign of AWARENESS

Secondly, PM Ardern taught us that it's okay to bow out gracefully. Bowing out and resigning is not a sign of weakness. It's not a sign of losing, and it doesn’t mean that she couldn’t do the job. She made tremendous contributions to the country and the world in her handling of the initial covid outbreak and the lingering effects for years.

Bowing out is a sign of AWARENESS. She’s fully aware that she’s no longer winning professionally if she’s sacrificing and losing so much?personally.?She's losing her peace and expecting disrespect daily. She’s losing quality time with her family and missing out on special moments with her young child, husband, and extended family. She’s missing the ability to be at peace, and likely her capacity to be empathetic when she’s fighting to be seen and heard properly daily. She’s losing sleep and sacrificing her mental and physical health for a “job.”?

Existing this way was no longer acceptable to her. Einstein said it best, “Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.” I’m certain she thought that if she worked hard enough, long enough, and demonstrated her immense skillset to a global audience that she would finally be accepted. She could just go to work and do a great job without all of the fighting. Women who have ascended to the executive level and beyond know this is a fantasy and it’s not true.?

What is success? It’s going to bed each night with my soul at peace. – Paulo Coelho

PM Ardern showed us that every six months, we need to redefine and clarify, “What does success mean to me today?”

No One is Going to Give You Permission to Save Yourself

Lastly, no one is going to give you permission to pivot when they are unknowingly applauding your demise. YOU HAVE TO SAVE YOURSELF!!

We have seen highly successful women commit suicide, do illicit drugs, or have mental breakdowns because they didn’t see another way out of the brand that “success” created. The professional persona dominates the personal suffering and they either self-medicate to drown it out or do something drastic to get the attention of others to look past the strong professional brand to see their suffering soul.?

I have literally talked to hundreds of high-achieving women that admit to suffocating in their success and they refused to do anything about it until they end up in the hospital, cracked up mentally, their spouses walked out of the door, or their children acted out in unimaginable ways.

There is a better way!

A new narrative is needed earlier in the career journey of women so we can finally take our rightful places in the high ranks of leadership in every industry and stay there because we arrived mentally and physically whole and our families are intact. This conversation needs to be had on greater levels and repeatedly because many women are sacrificing everything and everyone around them in the pursuit of “success.” Which is not really winning.

PM Ardern wasn’t willing to spend another day in silent misery for a title that wasn’t making her happy. Even at the epitome of what other people call “success,” she wasn’t willing to risk losing what was important to her to appease the illusion of “success” that she represented.?

I applaud her bravery to stand up for what she considers success and bowing out gracefully having made her mark in the world. She didn’t fail. The system didn’t fail. She simply made a pivot and will chart upon and new and fantastic journey. I can’t wait to see what’s next for her. Even if she’s just kicking her feet up and resting on the beach. Then emerging six or so years from now, sharing what she learned to impact the world in greater ways.

No, wait… That’s me. Lol!

My question for you to consider is, “What does success mean to you today?”

Because if you’re operating off of old data, you need to hit the refresh button to get a glimpse of where you are NOW and then make the necessary adjustments.?You deserve it!

Christy Rutherford is an executive leadership coach to exceptional women. Her clients have received $11 million in salary raises since June 2020. A Harvard Business School Alumna and certified Executive Leadership Coach from Georgetown University, Christy is also a 6-time best-selling author.