I once pushed too hard, too fast, and nearly burned out my team.
It was early in my leadership journey. We were behind on a big deliverable, and I felt the pressure. So I shifted the team into high gear. Daily standups got sharper. I assigned tasks more aggressively. I held more check-ins.
And at first, it looked like it was working.
Until one of my engineers, someone I really respected, came to me privately and said, “This isn’t sustainable. People are stressed. They’re scared to speak up. We’re doing the work, but we’re not okay.”
It hit me hard.
What Went Wrong
Looking back, I see the mistake clearly: I focused on output and timelines, but ignored emotional signals. I missed the growing tension. I thought being a strong leader meant driving results. But the strongest leaders create safety first.
I had unintentionally created pressure without support.
What I Did Next
I apologized to the team. Not a corporate-style statement, but a real, plainspoken apology.
I told them I had lost perspective, and that I was going to do better. Then I started doing it:
- I gave more autonomy back to the team.
- I rebalanced the roadmap to give space for recovery.
- I invited open feedback during retros and 1:1s, and actually listened.
It wasn’t instant. But over the next few weeks, the tone shifted. People started laughing again in standups. The quality of the work improved. And trust started to rebuild.
What I Carry Forward
That moment changed how I lead.
Now, I ask more questions. I watch for signs of burnout. I bring up workload and mental health before someone else has to.
I still care about results. But I’ve learned that sustainable impact comes from motivated, supported people, not from short-term pressure.
Every leader has a story like this, whether they talk about it or not. I’m glad I had mine early, even if it stung. Because it made me a better leader.
And I’ve never forgotten it.