Refill the Pen: Avoid Burnout and Fallout in Business

Refill Your Pen: Avoid Burnout and Fallout in Business

Recently one morning I was writing in my journal with one of my favorite pens as it began to run out of ink. I was a little irritated but quickly tossed it aside and found another one.

What do you do when a pen runs out of ink? In most cases it gets thrown away shaking it once or twice get more out of it. When we were kids we would put a match to it. When that didn’t work we’d smash it.

What are some of the words you use to describe a pen that is out of ink?

You might call it…

• worthless
• obsolete
• unusable
• replaceable
• disposable

On the surface it looks just fine. It’s not until the pen is called upon to do its job that the ineffectiveness becomes evident. It can no longer perform the task it was made for.

There was a time when pens were considered valuable. So valuable that some people couldn’t afford to write. They lasted a long time. They were meticulously cared for, protected, and regularly refilled. These pens were:

• Replenished
• Renewed
• Restored
• Refilled
• Revered

Check out the 25 Most Expensive Pens HERE.

People occasionally run out of “ink”. They become “burned out, spent, or depleted.” Or as we say in the South: scattered, smothered and covered. They may look fine until they are called upon to do their job. Where they previously operated seamlessly they are now spotty, inconsistent, or otherwise lacking. When shaking them a bit or lighting a fire under them doesn’t improve performance they are are replaced or otherwise disposed of.

“Fatigue makes coward of us all.” -Vince Lombardi

How do you feel about your people? The people you lead, love and serve? Are they cheap, disposable, and easily replaceable? Or are they revered?

In working with leaders and their teams in the insurance and real estate industries, burnout and fallout is a given. According to Fast Company magazine, 83% of insurance agents quit in the first 3 years. Tom Ferry states that 85% of all real estate agents fail in the first 5 years.

Welcome to the team, you have a 15-17% chance of being successful!

Corporations are becoming increasingly aware of the financial impact of people leaving. Josh Bersin of Deloitte believes the cost of losing an employee can range from tens of thousands of dollars to 1.5–2.0x the employee’s annual salary. Someone had to hire them, train them and manage them. And now they’re gone.

Recently I was talking with a client who had been in a highly competitive sales environment for approximately 4 years. From the outside looking in this person was successful, but shared with me a feeling of no life outside of work. A sense of overwhelm, burnout, and lack of focus. Three days later I was informed this individual was on suicide watch. He ran out of ink.

Clearly not everyone will make in a competitive sales environment. Or in any competitive business environment for that matter. It takes perseverance, tenacity and a certain mindset and skill set that must be present or developed. It also takes refilling the pen.

We all have a need to be refilled, refueled and renewed. We have a personal responsibility to take care of ourselves. In leadership part of our role is to nurture conditions favorable for the overall well-being of those that we lead. This can significantly impact how long a quality player (or one with potential) sticks around and ultimately thrives within an organization.

Individual responsibility. As we are reminded on every flight, we need to put on our own oxygen mask before we assist others. If you are running yourself ragged you’re part of the problem.

• Disciplines. What are you doing consistently to nurture yourself mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually (read Discipline restores Integrity)?
• Life outside of work. The first three years in a new career can be incredibly demanding. The subsequent climb to the next level opens up a different set of challenges and demands. It can be easy to forget simple pleasures in life: picking on a guitar, gardening, taking a cooking class, reading a good book.
• Relationships. When I first got into the speaking industry one of my mentors shared with me the importance of quality relationships. They would be there to celebrate the successes and support the down times. I believe the same advice to be relevant in succeeding in any career.

Leader responsibility. Be an example of the above three. Live it, show it, encourage it and talk about it with your team.

• Encourage personal growth. When the people you lead feel like you are contributing to their personal (not just professional) growth, they tend to be more loyal. Personal growth is often a catalyst for professional growth.
• Health and wellness initiatives. Make them a priority.
• Love language. Invest the time to identify the love language of each of your team members. Communicate accordingly.
• Acknowledgement/recognition. Look for ways to acknowledge and reward your people.

Ultimately it costs much more to replace a quality pen than to refill it. You’re worth it. And so are the people you lead, love and serve.

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