Burnout doesn’t happen because people don’t care—it happens because they care for too long without enough support. For leaders navigating constant pressure, small shifts can make a big difference.

We chase credentials. We attend conferences, sign up for trainings, organize team-building retreats, devour books, and master new technologies. These development experiences keep us sharp and relevant.

Being relevant isn’t enough.

Some believe many fail due to a lack of skill, intelligence, or experience. However, people often fail because qualities that helped them get promoted become overused and backfire.

That insight is key to a landmark study by Robert and Joyce Hogan, published in the International Journal of Selection and Assessment. Their work transformed how we think about leadership by emphasizing what they called the dark side of personality, showing that strengths pushed too far become weaknesses.