Dr. Oliver Degnan

Why Burnout-Proof Leaders Think Differently About Stress Read time: 4 minutes Watch the Webinar: 5 Techniques to Reverse Burnout Click to Watch Last month, I sat with a tech VP who looked completely exhausted. Despite being brilliant and driven, she was on the edge of total burnout. Her story isn't unique—it's a pattern I've seen countless times in my two decades as a technology executive. The Hidden Cognitive Trap Most Leaders Miss Stress isn't something that happens to you. It's something...

What Your Email Signature Says About You Read time: 4 minutes Why that little block of text at the bottom of your email might be shaping how others see you at work: Let’s Cut to the Chase Your email signature isn’t just a digital business card. It’s a quiet signal. It tells people who you think you are… and how you expect them to treat you. Most folks never think twice about it. But in my years as a business leader—and through recent research I conducted—I’ve seen a pattern that’s impossible...

Understanding Burnout: A 30-Minute Survival Guide Read time: 4 minutes Last week, I watched a high-performing executive walk away from a seven-figure salary. Not because she found a better offer. Not because she was pursuing a passion project. But because she was completely, utterly burned out. "I just can't do it anymore," she told me. "I feel nothing when I think about my future here." Her words haunted me because I'd been there myself. In 2018, I was hospitalized for two days before...

Entrepreneur Burnout: The Hidden Cost of Building Your Dream Read time: 3 minutes Last week, I sat across from an entrepreneur who had built a successful SaaS company generating over $5M annually. From the outside, he had everything - a thriving business, industry recognition, financial security. Yet as we talked, it became clear he was dangerously close to complete burnout. "Some days I can barely get out of bed," he confessed. "I've lost my passion for the business I spent years building."...

Speak Like a CEO: Transform Your Communication Style Read time: 4 minutes Last week, I sat across from a senior director at a Fortune 500 company who couldn't understand why she kept getting passed over for executive roles. Her technical skills were impeccable, her results consistently exceeded expectations, and she had built strong relationships throughout the organization. "What am I missing?" she asked, visibly frustrated. After observing her in several meetings, the answer became clear:...

Better Results Through Happiness: Reversing Leadership's Success Formula Read time: 4 minutes The leadership paradox most executives get wrong I recently worked with a senior executive who seemed to have it all – prestigious title, impressive compensation, and a track record of results that would make most leaders envious. Yet in our conversations, a troubling pattern emerged. Despite achieving every goal he'd set, satisfaction remained elusive. The goalposts kept moving, and with each new...

Stop Burnout Before It Stops You Read time: 4 minutes I was having coffee with a senior tech executive last week when she dropped a bombshell: "I've been working 70-hour weeks for months, and I just don't care anymore. Is this what burnout feels like?" Her question hit me hard because it reveals a common misconception. Most people think burnout is just being tired or stressed. But it's far more serious—and it demands more than just "taking a vacation" to fix. Let me break this down for you....

When Your Body Sounds the Alarm: A Leader's Journey Through Burnout Read time: 4 minutes Last month, I worked with Sarah, an SVP of Marketing at a mid-sized tech company who reached out after experiencing some troubling physical symptoms. "I'm constantly exhausted, my headaches won't stop, and I've developed a persistent eye twitch," she told me during our first meeting. "But the strangest part is my doctor can't find anything physically wrong." What Sarah described wasn't unusual. In fact,...

Stop the Busyness Trap: How to Defeat Aimless Productivity Read time: 4 minutes Have you ever noticed how some days you're completely busy, but at the end, you wonder what you actually accomplished? You've checked off lots of boxes on your to-do list, answered countless emails, and sat through meeting after meeting - yet that feeling of real achievement just isn't there. I've seen this happen with many leaders I've worked with. They work incredibly hard but struggle to point to meaningful...