Landmark Forum Leader Josselyn Herman Saccio was recently interveiwed on KCTV5 on the subject of job burnout. This segment is intended to help you both recognize the signs of job burnout and also know what you can do about it.
HOST: Well, let’s face it, job burn out happens and it doesn’t always take years for it to happen. Communication expert, Josselyn Herman Saccio, is here with us with some tips, recognizing these symptoms. Wow, it doesn’t it even take years for this to happen?
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: It can happen so quickly in a job. And some of the symptoms, like if you want to wonder if you’re having burn out — if you have to wonder — one is that you repeatedly complain. You frequently engage in gossip, or don’t like being around your co-workers. Maybe you dread going to work, you’re chronically late.
HOST: Oh, that’s the worst.
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: You feel overly tired, no matter how much you sleep. You feel stuck, trapped, and the other is you start to lie, and actually not do as good a job as you know you’re capable of doing.
HOST: Interesting, lie about what? Are there certain things, or is it everything?
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: You could lie about how you’re feeling at work. You could lie about things getting done that weren’t done. But it doesn’t really matter what the symptoms are. The real question is what’s the source of it, and what’s the solution.
HOST: So, what’s the solution? What do you do?
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: Well, what we’ve found at Landmark — we’ve worked with almost 2.5 million people on the quality and effectiveness in their life, which has a lot to do with work. You spend a lot of time at work.
HOST: Of course.
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: So, we’ve come up with three sources of burnout. One is, you’re not connected to what really matters to you. So, the solution is to reconnect with what really matters to you. Sounds simple — the questions to ask are, what is possible out of you doing that job, that wasn’t possible if you didn’t? Or what’s possible for people out of that job getting done, that isn’t possible if you — it could be simple like, well I get to go on vacation and pay my bills.
But it could be something connected to a higher purpose, like, I was working with somebody in the one of the programs I was leading, and he was really burnt out. He worked at a juice company and it had turned into a job selling juice. And I asked him, “Well, what did you love about the job when you first took it?” He said, “I really wanted to impact people’s well-being and vitality.” Just reconnecting with his higher purpose, disappeared the —
HOST: Snapped him out of it.
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: — right out of it.
HOST: Gosh, what else can you do?
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: The second source is a lack of integrity at work. Now, the solution is, restore your integrity. But, how do you do that? You’ve got to get out on paper everything you haven’t done — everything you said you were going to do, that you didn’t do — and make a list, and then deal with it item by item. Either do it, or schedule a real time to get it done. When you say, “I’ll do it next week,” that’s not a real time. That’s like a “let’s do lunch,” it’s never going to happen, it piles up.
So, you schedule and an actual time, or be straight about, “I’m not going to be doing that then.” And the minute you do that, you start to restore energy and aliveness at your job. And you’re dealing with it out here, versus in your head. So, you go from catch-up mode to being able to create at work.
HOST: I love that. Real quickly, can we touch on the third one?
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: Yes, the third one is to actually look at complaining, because if you get into a constant complaint mode you go to burn out town real quick. So, shift your complaints to requests, rather than, “Oh, I’m not making enough money,” make a request for a raise. Then somebody can actually say “yes” or “no” or counter-offer it. I know, it sounds simple, but we’re not good at requests.
HOST: My boss is right upstairs. Would you come with me?
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: She needs a raise here. Okay, can you please have a conversation about this?
[LAUGHING]
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: But, don’t talk about it in your head or with people gossiping. Talk about it with somebody who can make a difference, and actually —
HOST: I love it.
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: — accomplish something.
HOST: Take action.
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: Yes.
HOST: Great recommendations. All right, well we’re putting some of those to the test. Thank you so much.
JOSSELYN HERMAN SACCIO: My pleasure. Thanks for having me.
HOST: I appreciate it.
3 comments
I was working at this firm for 3 years now and was frustrated. I needed the money but was dissatisfied. The landmark forum helped me figure my needs and find myself a better job that not only keeps me happy but also help up skill me. I can finally see major changes in my routine and health. Looking forward to the advanced course to further reform my lifestyle.
I did the landmark forum years and years ago because I was pregnant but wanted to divorce my husband. He did not know about it but a few things about him bothered me a lot. Suddenly in between the mess of telling him about my issues, I got to know that I am pregnant which made things even more complicated. I wanted to have the baby but was really upset of the situation I was in. I did the forum to make correct life decisions. During the course I realized that my husband has been looking after me and has been very considerate about my lifestyle. I saw the good part of him mostly during the landmark forum in action that lasted for quite a few weeks. Little things I never even considered were now playing a part for me to get closer to my husband. I saw that my friends who only kept bragging about how great their husbands are took me away from the reality of a good responsible husband. Another important factor was the people I hung out with during the forum. I made tremendous friends who have helped me throughout my landmark journey and been such great supports. I was never judged for my past, behaviour patterns, moods or just the demanding nature. I know I always wanted more from every relationship and honestly yes I was materialistic but never to this extent that I was ready to leave my husband and break our family. After my landmark forum in action, I took a break because I was pregnant but after my baby was a year old, I rejoined to do my advance course. By this time I was maternity leave for just a couple more months and I realized that my work is too far away, it doesn’t pay me too much and lastly there is a lot of negative politics that get to me and ruin my mood. I saw how unhappy I was to turn up at work and always wanted to take a leave. During the advance course when I brought up the topic of being dissatisfied at work, I took a decision of quitting. That was one huge lesson and I also started chugging people out of my life who did not make me happy or feel complete. I did not take up any further courses but uptil now I have been very happy and satisfied with both my courses and have been raving about them ever since!
Its incredible how people change over the weekend. But the courses isn’t the sole reason of this transformation. I always believed that I was the best businessman and there is nothing left to improve. Years later when it was time for my son to take over the business, I wasn’t ready to accept the conventional methods at work. I was stern at believing that old-school is the perfect way to go. During the course I learned a lot of stuff which gradually broke my ego down and made me understanding as well as open-minded. Although I had made the necessary changes in my business, I wasn’t ready to leave the landmarks courses yet. I also took an advanced course wherein I created a smooth relationship with my family members and close friends. I came out about my drinking problem and shockingly received a ton of support from my family. Looking forward for the SELP program.