Put a Spotlight on Identity and Values to Combat Burnout

Leaders who lack the information and tools required to be effective in their role are two times more likely to be concerned about experiencing burnout, according to the Global Leadership Forecast 2025 report from consulting firm DDI. Training can help, but it can’t always provide the lift leaders need, according to Imani Adia, founder of personal development company SoulThree60, in her session at SHRM25 in San Diego.  

Burnout is “the feelings of just shutting down and wanting to be by yourself, because you’re being pulled in all different types of directions, because you’re missing something very important,” Adia said. 

Burnout Isn’t About Stress — It’s About Misalignment  

Burnout doesn’t come from one overwhelming task; it’s the outcome of competing demands pulling employees in every direction, according to Adia. It’s also not a personal flaw or something that can be fixed quickly. In reality, burnout is a “systemic problem rooted in misaligned identities, unclear priorities, and fractured focus,” she said.

For HR executives and others in key leadership roles, this misalignment becomes an everyday reality. While “finding balance” is often touted as the solution, it misses the mark. Adia explained that work/life balance can be unachievable and pursuing it can even be counterproductive in today’s dynamic work environments.

Rather than striving for balance, leaders should focus on helping find alignment for themselves. Adia explained that alignment involves identifying where to direct one’s energy and attention at any given moment based on one’s personal values and priorities. It is about clarity and commitment, not equal distribution of time across tasks.  

Related Article: Burnout Isn’t Personal — It’s Cultural. Here’s How Leaders Can Intervene

Redefining Well-Being as Identity-Focused 

Most HR well-being initiatives focus on external benefits such as paid time off, fitness subscriptions, or mental health webinars, according to Adia. But she also explained that this can overlook a fundamental question: What is your identity? What values align with this identity?  

“Sustainable well-being begins at the identity level,” Adia said. When you understand who you aspire to be, such as “a purposeful leader” or “a thoughtful parent,” you can evaluate whether your actions align with this vision. Yet, these identity shifts don’t occur without addressing deep-seated beliefs developed over a lifetime.

The Subconscious Beliefs That Drive Burnout 

Beliefs formed during childhood often follow us into adulthood and shape workplace behaviors. Individuals often “unconsciously choose their profession without any career planning,” Adia said.  

For example, a talented leader may avoid seeking promotion beyond middle management due to a long-held belief that they should never ask for too much. Meanwhile, another high-performing manager might experience burnout because they see consistent promotion as the only legitimate mark of success, she said.

Traditional wellness programs often neglect these internal narratives. Adia stressed that to foster real change, leaders must ask deeper, more impactful questions about the beliefs shaping their behaviors and explore how to replace limiting beliefs with empowering ones.  

Embedding Alignment into Workforce Strategy 

Creating alignment can’t be a one-time effort. Adia recommended seamlessly integrating it into every phase of your career. One way to do this is by incorporating these reflective prompts into your personal development efforts:

• What version of yourself are you striving to become?
• What values are most important to you in achieving this vision?
• Are there beliefs that are potentially holding you back from progress?
• What’s one action you can take today to honor this identity? 

These questions move beyond surface-level conversations. They actively inspire leaders to set better boundaries, make quicker value-driven decisions, and communicate more effectively. 

Related Article: Mental Health Challenges: How Managers Can Best Help Employees

The ROI of Alignment 

When leaders operate from a place of alignment, they begin to see the tangible benefits. Creativity reignites, energy levels increase, and ownership of responsibilities follows naturally. Even traditional engagement metrics can improve. “When leaders can manage effectively and are supported by finding alignment, there are spillover effects on employees that support retention and even succession planning,” Adia said. In fact, employees with highly effective managers are nearly twice as likely to feel satisfied and fulfilled by their jobs, according to SHRM’s Effective People Managers: The Linchpin of Organizational Success report.

Another SHRM report, The Case for Employee Experience, found that highly engaged employees are 73% less likely to think about quitting. Retention can be a powerful tool, especially amid continuing uncertainty in the labor market. With stronger, more engaged leaders at the helm, organizations can fortify their workforce rather than worry about making surface-level repairs in the face of employee turnover due to job dissatisfaction.