On Stages of Burnout/ Guest: Debbie Pearmain – Principal, One Stop HR

Why do high-performing, responsible leaders often struggle the most? Debbie Pearmain reveals the hidden truth: it's not a capability crisis, it's a capacity crisis. Drawing from 25 years in leadership development and her own burnout recovery, she shares how leaders move through three critical stages from functional stress to full burnout.

Through practical frameworks and proven strategies, this episode will help you recognise the warning signs, implement recovery disciplines, and understand why wellness isn't a luxury – it's a leadership competency that directly impacts your team's performance.

In this episode, we explore:

(00:00) Introduction

(04:38) Capacity crisis vs capability crisis

(05:12) Stage one: functional stress and calendar architecture reset

(08:30) Creating strategic filters for better decision making

(13:24) Why self-management unlocks sustained high performance

(16:26) Stage two: overextended leaders running on stress chemistry

(19:35) Boundaries upgrade: controlling availability and emotional load

(21:40) Stage three: burnout, detachment and confidence erosion

(23:19) Why high performers don't know how to rest safely