Tired High Performers? How to Develop Everyone Without Burning Out Your Best

What to Say When Your High Performers Say, ‘I’m Exhausted’

You have a few top performers on your team — the ones you trust with the big stuff. Strategic initiatives, high-visibility projects, the things that really move the needle? You hand it to them, and they deliver.

You’re proud of them. You rely on them. And — you probably sleep better at night knowing they’re on it.

But then… the signs start to show.

A little more edge in their tone.
That unreadable expression in meetings.
The comment that sounds like a joke but isn’t:
“I think I’m doing three people’s jobs at this point.”

And there it is.
They’re tired. Maybe even resentful.
They’re wondering why they keep getting the stretch assignments while others coast by with business as usual.

So, like a good leader, you try to share the load. You assign one of those special projects to someone else on the team. But it doesn’t go well. The results come back incomplete, misaligned — not bad, just… not what the project needed.

Then your high performers come back with:
“This missed the mark. We’re going to have to fix it.”

Now you’re stuck between two tough realities:
You need your high performers to get the work done right.
But you can’t keep relying on them this way without burning them out.

So what do you do?

What Do I Do If My High Performers Are Burning Out? Asking For a Friend (Video)

First: Have the Conversation You Might Be Avoiding

This isn’t about performance. It’s about capacity, and it’s about care. Sit down one-on-one with your high performers and say something like:

“I want to acknowledge how much you’ve been doing. I see it. I value it. And I don’t want you to burn out. I also want to make sure we keep delivering at the level we both care about. So let’s talk — what do you think we should do here?”

This does three things:

1. Shows them they’re not being taken for granted.
2. Puts them in the driver’s seat.
3. Opens the door to co-create a better solution.

And that leads to the next move.

Second: Build in Strategic Checkpoints

Instead of giving your high performers everything or nothing, try this middle ground:
Let them serve as advisors, not owners.

Bring in other team members to lead, but structure the project with clear milestones where your high performers can check in, weigh in, and guide the quality without carrying the entire load.

It gives others room to grow — and gives your high performers the chance to lead without always having to execute every detail.

Third: Partner Up

One of the most underutilized strategies? Pairing.

Partner a rising team member with a high performer on a critical initiative. It’s not “dump and disappear” — it’s intentional collaboration. Let the senior team member mentor while the newer employee builds muscle. Peer learning, peer accountability, and shared success.

This isn’t just delegation — it’s development.

Your High-Performers Raise Concerns Because They Care

If your high performers are raising concerns, it’s not because they don’t want to help. It’s because they do — and they’re trying to tell you it’s getting unsustainable.

The worst thing you can do is ignore it.

The best? Show them you care enough to listen, adjust, and keep building something great — with them, not on top of them.

Because when you get this right?

Your strategic work gets done.
Your team grows stronger.
And your best people stay — because they want to.

Now it’s your turn.

How are you managing this balance on your team?
Drop your ideas, stories, or “asking for a friend: moments in the comments. Let’s crowdsource some solutions.

Are you looking for a unique interactive keynote experience for your next event. I’d love to create a special “Asking for a Friend” LIVE experience for your team.