Signs of Manager Burnout: 10-Minute Fix for Leaders 2026

Signs of Manager Burnout: How One Leader of 18 Got Her Energy Back — and the 10-Minute Meeting That Helped
Last updated: October 16, 2026
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Executive Summary: Managers keep hitting deadlines while quietly running on empty. Gallup reports manager engagement fell to 22% in 2025. In WLS 170, Sabrina Braham shares the signs of manager burnout, how Martha recovered after suddenly leading two teams of nine, and a 10-minute Monday meeting any leader can start this week.
Quick Takeaways:
Manager engagement dropped from 27% to 22% in 2025 alone (Gallup, 2026).
Strong results can hide the signs of manager burnout — watch for postponed one-on-ones.
Ask a stretched manager: "What's become harder, and what support are you missing?"
A 10-minute Monday meeting — wins, roadblocks, ideas, recognition — re-energized two teams.
Coaching changes how you lead; organizations must still fix the conditions you lead in.
Jump to:
Why It's Missed · 6 Signs · Martha's Story · The 10-Minute Meeting · The Results · For Senior Leaders · Action Plan · Mistakes · FAQ · 2026 Trends
As an executive leadership coach with more than 30 years of experience (MA, MFT, PCC) and host of the Women's Leadership Success Podcast — on air since 2007, ranked in the top 1.5% of podcasts worldwide, with 57,000+ monthly downloads — I see the signs of manager burnout long before most companies do. The deadlines still get met. The problems still get solved. But listening, developing people, and thinking ahead quietly disappear.
The numbers explain why this matters now. Global manager engagement fell from 27% to 22% in 2025, and managers are now no more engaged than the people they lead (Gallup, 2026). Meanwhile, the average U.S. manager now leads 12.1 direct reports, up from 10.9 a year earlier (Gallup, 2026).
When I posted an infographic on the signs of manager burnout on LinkedIn, it drew more than 40,000 impressions. So in Episode 170, my co-founder Tim Warren interviewed me about Martha — a director moved to manager in a downsizing and handed two teams — and the 10-minute meeting that helped her lead again.
Key moments in this episode
00:00 — When managers run out of energy to lead
02:30 — Why results hide the signs of manager burnout
03:00 — What senior leaders should notice
04:10 — Martha's story: director to manager of two teams
06:30 — Where coaching began: listening and strengths
09:00 — The 10-minute Monday meeting
12:25 — The agenda and "How can we help you?"
16:50 — What companies must change after downsizing
20:55 — One conversation to have this week
22:10 — Where Martha landed
Why the Signs of Manager Burnout Are So Easy to Miss in 2026
Managers are expected to deliver results, solve problems, develop people, and keep morale up — all at once. Many keep meeting deadlines while exhausted. As I told Tim, the results can hide how much they're struggling.
Manager engagement is falling fastest
Gallup's latest State of the Global Workplace report shows manager engagement has dropped nine points since 2022. In the prior year's report, female manager engagement fell by seven points (Gallup, 2025). That matters because Gallup attributes about 70% of the variance in team engagement to the manager. When managers run on empty, their teams follow.
The "Great Flattening" is stretching managers thin
Companies are cutting management layers. The leaders who remain absorb larger teams and more work. Gallup finds 97% of managers also carry individual contributor work, and more managers now report burnout, stress, and job-seeking than a few years ago. Martha's 18 direct reports were triple Gallup's median of five to six.
Senior women are feeling it most
About 60% of senior-level women report frequent burnout, compared with 50% of senior-level men — the highest level in five years. Among senior women with five or fewer years at their company, it's 70% (McKinsey & LeanIn.Org, 2025...