Burnout Immunity

Why do some people in the world’s most stressful careers avoid burnout while countless others are overwhelmed by the demands of ordinary jobs? What can we learn from these resilient role models who seem to be naturally resistant to the psychological hazards of work?

After extreme stress caused a life-threatening health crisis in her own life, Dr. Kandi Wiens dedicated herself to understand why work was leaving millions of us sick, exhausted, unmotivated, and feeling stuck and ineffective. In her research, she discovered something remarkable: Despite dangerous levels of work-related stress, some people seemed to be naturally “immune” to burnout.

So what did these people have that Dr. Wiens and millions of others did not? Regardless of their role, industry, or experience, all these professionals exhibited a high degree of emotional intelligence (EI). EI is the ability to clearly perceive, understand, and productively manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in service of one’s overall well-being and performance.

The people with burnout immunity were relying on specific EI skills to successfully cope with stressful work environments and experiences. The result is that they were more productive; had happier careers and lives; and were free from the physical and mental ravages of exhaustion, negativity, and inefficacy that characterize burnout.