Coaching Article

Burnout Prevention is a Management Problem Suited for Coaching — Not a Resilience Issue

January 12, 2026
By Jeffrey E. Auerbach, Ph.D., MCC, NBC-HWC

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Why "Manager as Coach" is a Practical Burnout Strategy

Gallup reports that managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. Engagement matters because it shapes job satisfaction, retention, and performance. But burnout is not solved by a new benefit, a new lounge, or a new wellness app. It's addressed through how the workforce is managed, including weekly one-on-ones, the way priorities are discussed, and how seriously employees' concerns are addressed.

That's where a coaching approach becomes valuable. Coaching is not "therapy at work," and is not an inspirational pep talk. Instead, coaching for HR leaders includes knowing how to lead a structured, supportive, and professional conversation that helps managers listen more seriously, clarify priorities, address conflict, and shape the workload to realistic capacity.

A manager-as-coach approach is well-suited to burnout prevention because it focuses on leadership capabilities, work design, and organizational outcomes. In addition, coaching programs have been shown to consistently increase productivity and employee satisfaction.

A Simple Coaching Conversation That Reduces Burnout Risk (Without "Playing Therapist")

Here's a five-step structure that HR and L&D can teach managers. It is designed to stay grounded in observable work realities — capacity, priorities, and resources.

Open with Care and Purpose

"Can we talk about workload and well-being for a few minutes? I want to support you and make sure the way we're working is workable."

This sets the tone: concern plus shared responsibility.

Name Observable Facts (Not Interpretations)

"I've noticed you've been online late most nights this week, and the last two deliverables needed rework."

Avoid assumptions like "You seem anxious" or "You're burned out." Stick to facts.

Explore Constraints and Control

Ask coaching-style questions that focus on the system of work:

• "What's driving the load right now?"
• "What feels unclear or conflicting?"
• "Where are you getting pulled into things that aren't the top priority?"
• "What decisions or support do you need from me?"

This step often reveals a hidden cause: shifting priorities, unclear scope, stakeholder pressure, or a role that has expanded.

Re-contract Priorities and Workload

This is the heart of burnout prevention: tradeoffs.

• "What are the top two most important outcomes you are responsible for over the next week or two?"
• "What can we stop, delay, or delegate?"
• "Which stakeholders do we need to renegotiate with?"

Managers often skip this step and instead tell people to "hang in there." But if workload is a top stressor, exploring the situation, alternatives, and possible tradeoffs is essential for leaders to address.

Close with Next Steps and Appropriate Support

• "Let's check in next week to see if the workload changes helped."
• "If you want additional support, I can help you navigate resources. Would you agree to ask me if that comes up?"

Importantly, managers don't diagnose. They help with clarity, priorities, resources, and team norms — and they connect employees to appropriate resources when needed.

Example: The "High Performer Who's Quietly Breaking"

Here's an example from a recent coaching engagement with Sam, a mid-level manager. Sam is dependable but lately he has been working much later into the evening than usual. Deadlines are technically met, but his quality is slipping. In meetings, Sam has stopped offering ideas and seems impatient.

A common managerial mistake is to say: "You seem stressed, you need to take care of yourself so you can be at your best" (which could come across to Sam as he is being blamed for not handling himself wisely).

A coaching-based approach sounds like this: "Sam, I think I'm seeing a pattern that worries me: late nights, more rework, and you've been quieter in meetings. Please let me know if you think this is happening too, and if so, could we look at what's driving the load and if it would be helpful to decide to make some adjustments?"

When the manager asks, "What's driving the load?" Sam admits that three stakeholders believe their request is top priority, and Sam has been trying to satisfy everyone.

The coaching approach in this situation is not a pep talk — it's a negotiation conversation:

• The manager and Sam explore and then identify the top two most important outcomes for the next 10 workdays
• The manager agrees to help reset expectations with stakeholders
• They schedule two meeting-free focus blocks and remove a low-value weekly report

This is practical burnout prevention: not trying to teach stress management, but a redesign of the workload.

Example: The Team That "Stops Raising Issues Until It's Too Late"

Now, picture another situation — a team that avoids difficult conversations. People privately feel overloaded, but they don't raise concerns until problems become severe. The impact of this is that stress increases, performance declines, and conflict rises.

A coaching-based team intervention can be a brief "risk & tradeoffs" huddle once a week:

• What's at risk this week?
• What decision do we need?
• What are we not doing (or delaying) to protect the top priorities?

Over time, this builds psychological safety through a process: the team learns that raising issues early is normal and often helpful. That's a prevention strategy — because it reduces last-minute crises, frustration, and a feeling that "things are out of control."

Why These Coaching Strategies Matter for HR and L&D — and Why Coach Training Belongs in the Conversation

If SHRM's data is correct that workload and poor leadership are major stress drivers, then burnout prevention is inseparable from management development. And if Gallup's research shows managers drive most of the variance in team engagement, then investing in manager skills and coaching is one of the highest-leverage decisions an organization can make.

This is where coach training becomes a valuable capability for HR leaders. Coach training builds skills that leaders can use in exploring and clarifying priorities, managing performance conversations, navigating conflict, and supporting high performance without crossing into clinical territory.

For HR and L&D leaders, trained in coaching also creates internal resources that prevent problems in the future: through the benefits of using a consistent coaching method, HR will spend less time firefighting and more time on strategic talent and culture work.

If your organization wants less burnout, better retention, and healthier performance, equip managers to coach the person about the work, not just manage tasks, by exploring International Coach Federation accredited coach training certifications.

Ready to consider the next step? Learn more about College of Executive Coaching's Intensive Coach Training Certification and other options to help you obtain your ICF Coaching Credential and add valuable, practical skills to your career toolkit.

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