Your Next Clear Move
Welcome to Your Next Clear Move™—the podcast for leaders, professionals, and high-capacity humans who are done “getting ready” and ready to move.
I’m Debbie Peterson, Leadership Readiness Expert, and in each episode I deliver grounded insight, clarity-driven mindset strategies, and one actionable step to help you stop the drift and lead yourself forward.
This isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about reconnecting to what matters—and making decisions that align with who you are and how you want to lead next.
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Your Next Clear Move
Boreout is Just as Dangerous as Burnout—Here’s How Clarity Helps
Engaging with the concept of "bore out" brings a fresh challenge to modern leadership. Unlike burnout, which is well-documented, bore out is a trap that many employees fall into when they feel underutilized and unchallenged at work. This episode explores how leaders can recognize and combat bore out before it affects team morale and productivity.
We dive deep into the damaging effects of disengaged employees and highlight how clarity acts as a powerful antidote. Through the Clarity Compass framework, you can learn to connect your team's work to a larger purpose, co-create meaningful goals, and align individual strengths with team tasks. We encourage leaders to provide autonomy, allowing team members to take ownership of their responsibilities while keeping them engaged.
By fostering an environment based on clarity, challenge, and recognition, you can rejuvenate your team's spirit and productivity. Are you ready to ensure that your leadership creates a thriving workplace? Join us in this thought-provoking episode to discover actionable strategies you can implement right away. Don't forget to share your thoughts with us—how can you bring more clarity to your work and leadership?
Hey, hello and welcome back. I am Debbie Peterson of Getting to Clarity, and this is another episode of the Getting to Clarity podcast. This is the place that you want to be if you want to get the tips, tools and techniques to create more of an impact in your leadership with less of a sacrifice in your life, and you want to do it with clarity. And today we are talking about something you may not have heard about before. It is called bore out and it is just as dangerous as burnout, so stay tuned.
Speaker 3:Welcome to the Getting to Clarity podcast the place where busy leaders discover how to create more success in their leadership journey with less sacrifice in their life.
Speaker 2:Here's your host, debbie Peterson, of Getting to Clarity.
Speaker 1:So you may be thinking bore out. Did she say burn out? No, I said bore out Because have you ever been at a place at work where you just felt completely drained? And not because you were overwhelmed, but because you were underwhelmed, like you were just going through the motions, checking off the boxes, watching the clocks and wondering if anyone would even notice if you left early. Believe me, I get it Back in my corporate days. I had this voice in my head at one time, whispering you are capable of more than this. And the thing was, I was excelling in my role, I was getting all the gold stars, but I was not being challenged, and in hindsight, I was playing small and unbeknownst to me.
Speaker 1:Bore out was the culprit, and let me tell you, bore out is just as dangerous as burnout. Instead of running on empty, you feel like you're running in place, stuck in a rut that is so deep you are practically laying down in it, and if you have felt this, the chances are that your team has too. But here's the good news Clarity is the antidote. So what exactly is bore out? And why should you, as a leader, care? Well, you know, we all know about burnout, the overworked, overstressed, the I need a vacation immediately, kind of exhaustion, but bore out. That's what happens when employees feel underutilized, they're not challenged, they're disengaged. And disengagement, my friend, is expensive. Studies show that bored employees are less productive, they are more prone to errors and they are more likely to quit or, even worse than that, stay and do the absolute bare minimum. And that is a slow drain on team morale, on creativity, on performance and, as a leader, this is something that you need to manage, because it's not just managing the workload, it's also creating an environment where people feel engaged, where they feel challenged, you know where they're stretched and they feel seen and valued. And this is not a one-size-fits-all sort of solution, it is a customized solution, so it is getting to know your reports. So how does clarity help you, as a leader, prevent bore out? Well, enter the clarity compass. It is a simple yet powerful way to cut through the uncertainty and focus on what's really important so you can take intentional action. So here's how leaders can use the Clarity Compass framework to keep their teams engaged.
Speaker 1:Number one the why Connect the work to a bigger purpose. Bore out happens when employees don't see why their work matters. If something they're doing feels meaningless, then motivation can evaporate. So for you, making sure that your team understand why their work contributes to a bigger picture or something that is more meaningful. So here is your clear move Instead of just assigning tasks, explain why they matter. Share impact stories. Stories are great for ramping up motivation.
Speaker 1:Tie their daily work to larger company goals. People need a reason to care. Give them one. Number two the what. Co-creating goals for growth. If people don't know what they're working toward, that they're not going to be invested in the journey. But here's the catch Goals need to be challenging enough to keep employees engaged and if employees should have a say in shaping these goals. So your clear move is, instead of setting goals in isolation, you doing it and giving it to them. Here's what you're gonna do have a conversation, ask them what is one thing that would make this role more exciting for you. Encourage employees to think about how they want to stretch themselves and what support they need to get there. Then collaborate on setting goals that align with both their growth and your department's priorities.
Speaker 1:Number three the who. Align work with strengths and interests. So no one wants to be a cog in a machine. People thrive when their strengths are recognized and they're leveraged, they feel like they're contributing, but they also need the right support system to accelerate their growth. So your clear move as a leader is to consider, instead of assuming you know what excites your team, make it a collaborative discussion. You want to brainstorm together who or what could help them achieve their goals faster. Are there mentors, training programs, cross-departmental projects that could provide fresh challenges? You know, maybe there is a way you can schedule one-on-one clarity conversations to help uncover hidden talents, potential allies, and figure out what the best resources are to help your team stretch while feeling supported. Then adjust the assignments and provide access to the right support accordingly Easy peasy.
Speaker 1:Number four the how. Give ownership, not just tasks. So delegation isn't just about getting things off your plate. It's about giving employees the autonomy to take ownership. People disengage when they feel like they have no say in how they do their work. So your clear move instead of micromanaging, you can provide a clear outcome and let your team determine how to get there. So ask what would make this project more meaningful for you. Then give them the room to run with it.
Speaker 1:So, number five the now. Make it actionable. The fastest way to disengagement endless meetings, vague action items. People need clear momentum. They need clear next steps that move them forward. So your clear move is to end every team meeting with a next clear step challenge. So what's one action you can take this week to bring more meaning to your work? Might be a question Check in on the progress the next time. So what is your next clear step? Well, I'm so glad you asked because I have one for you, don't I always?
Speaker 1:Bore out isn't just an individual problem, it's a leadership challenge, and great leaders don't just manage people. They create environments, environments where people want to stay, they want to grow, they want to thrive. People want to contribute at a higher level. So if you're ready to bring the Clarity Edge to your organization, check out my keynote, designed to help leaders cut through uncertainty, engage their team and drive a meaningful impact. If you want to learn more about the Clarity Edge keynote, then head on over to my website at wwwdebbypetersonspeakscom. Forward slash programs and if you're ever feeling stuck in the bore out cycle or you see it in your team, let's talk about it. What's one way you could bring more clarity to your work or your leadership? Drop a comment or send me a message. I would love to be able to help and I'd love to hear your thoughts. So be good to yourself. Here is wishing you all the clarity you deserve. Take care and bye-bye for now.
Speaker 2:Thank you for listening to this episode of the Getting to Clarity podcast with Debbie Peterson.
Speaker 3:Take care and bye-bye for now.
