by Lai Ling Su Being an agile leader is a big responsibility. I’m expected to change the world, deliver phenomenally better outcomes without rocking the boat too much, be of service, coach and change my behaviours seemingly overnight. I’m expected to live up to your expectations, and your expectations; oh and your expectations too. But where is my support? Being an agile leader is lonely and exhausting. What am I to do? If this describes you, then for these 45 minutes: just listen. If you choose to, you can ask yourself some questions. When you’re ready (it could be today, tomorrow, next year, or some time in the future), you can answer those questions honestly for yourself and confidently discover your next steps forward.

1. L a i – L i n g S u
I’m an agile leader and I’m exhausted!

2. u Mental Exhaustion
u Emotional Exhaustion
u Physical Exhaustion
u Burnout

4. u Me
The End.

5. u Me
The End.
u You
Take Away and Share:
One Thing with One Person.

6. Burnout
You?

7. Stop forcing
yourself to
keep
consuming
information
Cognitive Overload
M e n t a l E x h a u s t i o n

8. Train yourself
to focus your
attention
Cognitive Overload
M e n t a l E x h a u s t i o n

9. It’s about
managing your
energy, not
your time
Energy
M e n t a l E x h a u s t i o n

10. Just because you
have a strength,
doesn’t mean
you should own
up to or use it
Energy
M e n t a l E x h a u s t i o n

11. I’m over it! Elisabeth Kubler Ross & William Bridges
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o n
Denial

12. I’m over it! Elisabeth Kubler Ross & William Bridges
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o n
Denial
Anger

13. Seeking Help for Mental Health
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o n
Seek help when you notice
something isn’t right. Talk to your
General Practitioner (GP), mental
health professionals or use the
Employee Assistance Programs
(EAP) at work if you have them

14. I’m over it! Elisabeth Kubler Ross & William Bridges
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o n
Denial
Anger
Bargaining

15. I’m over it! Elisabeth Kubler Ross & William Bridges
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o n
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

16. I’m over it! Elisabeth Kubler Ross & William Bridges
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o n
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Ending
Grief Curve
Every beginning starts with
an ending

17. I’m over it! Elisabeth Kubler Ross & William Bridges
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o n
Give yourself
an extended
break (at least
a few weeks)

18. I’m over it! Elisabeth Kubler Ross & William Bridges
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o n
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Ending
Neutral
Recovery
Zone
Beginning
Grief Curve
Every beginning starts with
an ending

19. E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o n

20. Behavioural Change. Transtheoretical Model of Change
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o n
I won’t become
another useless
administrator
“I can’t…” OR “I won’t…”

21. Behavioural Change. Transtheoretical Model of Change
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o nPre-Contemplation
Understand Self
What is it that I am really
opposed to?
Consideration that is free
from judgment Hmm, maybe there’s
an advantage to this
new role in the old
guard…
“I may…”

22. Behavioural Change. Transtheoretical Model of Change
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o nPre-Contemplation
Understand Self
What is it that I am really
opposed to?
Consideration that is free
from judgment Contemplation
Understand Self
What is more important
to me?
Gathering information
and setting direction
I will find myself a
mentor in the old
guard and learn
from them…
“I will…”

23. Behavioural Change. Transtheoretical Model of Change
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o nPre-Contemplation
Understand Self
What is it that I am really
opposed to?
Consideration that is free
from judgment Contemplation
Understand Self
What is more important
to me?
Gathering information
and setting direction
Preparation
Understand Self
What solutions will work
for me?
Take small steps and
experiment a lot
I am going to do
great work by
pairing with…
“I am…”

24. Behavioural Change. Transtheoretical Model of Change
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o nPre-Contemplation
Understand Self
What is it that I am really
opposed to?
Consideration that is free
from judgment Contemplation
Understand Self
What is more important
to me?
Gathering information
and setting direction
Preparation
Understand Self
What solutions will work
for me?
Take small steps and
experiment a lot
Action
Understand Self
How can I make this
easier for me?
Use strengths and plan for
lapses
It’s been 6 months
and I only slip up
when…
“I still am…”

25. Behavioural Change. Transtheoretical Model of Change
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o nPre-Contemplation
Understand Self
What is it that I am really
opposed to?
Consideration that is free
from judgment Contemplation
Understand Self
What is more important
to me?
Gathering information
and setting direction
Preparation
Understand Self
What solutions will work
for me?
Take small steps and
experiment a lot
Action
Understand Self
How can I make this
easier for me?
Use strengths and plan for
lapses
Maintenance
Understand Self
What positive things have
emerged for me?
Appreciation & discovery
of new motivators
Ah crap, I’ve gone
back to kicking and
screaming…
“I am not…”

26. Behavioural Change. Transtheoretical Model of Change
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o nPre-Contemplation
Understand Self
What is it that I am really
opposed to?
Consideration that is free
from judgment Contemplation
Understand Self
What is more important
to me?
Gathering information
and setting direction
Preparation
Understand Self
What solutions will work
for me?
Take small steps and
experiment a lot
Action
Understand Self
How can I make this
easier for me?
Use strengths and plan for
lapses
Maintenance
Understand Self
What positive things have
emerged for me?
Appreciation & discovery
of new motivators
Relapse
Understand Self
Why did I fall back to old /
create bad habits?
Reflect, learn and try
again – resilience
I always know how
to get the executives
on board with my
initiatives!
“I always…”

27. Behavioural Change. Transtheoretical Model of Change
E m o t i o n a l E x h a u s t i o nPre-Contemplation
Understand Self
What is it that I am really
opposed to?
Consideration that is free
from judgment Contemplation
Understand Self
What is more important
to me?
Gathering information
and setting direction
Preparation
Understand Self
What solutions will work
for me?
Take small steps and
experiment a lot
Action
Understand Self
How can I make this
easier for me?
Use strengths and plan for
lapses
Maintenance
Understand Self
What positive things have
emerged for me?
Appreciation & discovery
of new motivators
Relapse
Understand Self
Why did I fall back to old /
create bad habits?
Reflect, learn and try
again – resilience
Permanent Exit
Understand Self
How do I identify myself
after this change?
Integration and
normalisation

28. P h y s i c a l E x h a u s t i o n

29. Tips
P h y s i c a l E x h a u s t i o n
Be organised

30. Tips
P h y s i c a l E x h a u s t i o n
Build in lots of
breaks through
the day

31. Tips
P h y s i c a l E x h a u s t i o n
Remember to
eat and keep
your liquids up

32. Tips
P h y s i c a l E x h a u s t i o n
Understand how
you recharge
your energy –
with or without
people – and act
accordingly

33. Tips
P h y s i c a l E x h a u s t i o n
Go to bed
when your
body tells you
to

34. Tips
P h y s i c a l E x h a u s t i o n
The success of
a session, a
product or a
team is not
your sole
responsibility

35. B u r n o u t

36. Diversity
unharnessed
can lead to
mental
exhaustion
The Value of Values
B u r n o u t

37. Inclusion is
much more
important than
diversity
The Value of Values
B u r n o u t

38. Focus on
values
The Value of Values
B u r n o u t

39. u Do a stocktake of values
u Where and by how much
do these values overlap?
u Decide what is acceptable
u Decide what’s next
The Value of Values
B u r n o u t

40. Know when it’s
time to leave
The Value of Values
B u r n o u t

41. Aligning Values, Goals and Actions
B u r n o u t
Time -1
Value Learning
Goal 1 Career Development
in Global Financial
Markets
Goal 2 Ancestors, Chinese
Culture and their
Influence on Me
Action 1 Move to Hong Kong
Action 2 Work at an
Investment Bank
Action 3 Work for a Global
Trading Desk

42. Aligning Values, Goals and Actions
B u r n o u t
Time -1
Value Learning
Goal 1 Career Development
in Global Financial
Markets
Goal 2 Ancestors, Chinese
Culture and their
Influence on Me
Action 1 Move to Hong Kong
Action 2 Work at an
Investment Bank
Action 3 Work for a Global
Trading Desk
Time 0
Value Learning
Goal 1 Career Development
in Global Financial
Markets
Goal 2 Self Development in
Identity and Belonging
Action 1 Live in Hong Kong
Action 2 Work at an
Investment Bank
Action 3 Work for a Global
Trading Desk

43. Aligning Values, Goals and Actions
B u r n o u t
Time 1
Value Learning
Goal 1 Career Development
in Global Financial
Markets
Goal 2 Self Development in
Identity and Belonging
Action 1 Trigger repatriation via
the Investment Bank I
was working for
Action 2 Reform my identity in a
safe and familiar
environment
Time 0
Value Learning
Goal 1 Career Development
in Global Financial
Markets
Goal 2 Self Development in
Identity and Belonging
Action 1 Live in Hong Kong
Action 2 Work at an
Investment Bank
Action 3 Work for a Global
Trading Desk

44. Work is not the
only trigger for
burnout
Aligning Values, Goals and Actions
B u r n o u t

45. We often look outside
of ourselves for the
answers we seek, lose
and confuse ourselves
in the process, then
discover them only
when we look back
inside
Aligning Values, Goals and Actions
B u r n o u t

46. Values, Goals and
Actions gradually
become misaligned
over time and have
the potential to lead
to emotional
exhaustion and
burnout
Aligning Values, Goals and Actions
B u r n o u t

48. u What type of
exhausted are you?
u What is that one thing
that is playing through
your mind right now?
u Who is that one person
that you’re going to
share it with?
u When?

49. L a i – L i n g S u
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lailingsu
Thank You