This document discusses how library leaders can protect staff from burnout. It provides "don'ts" such as creating a culture where staff cannot take time off or emailing nights and weekends. It suggests "dos" like having staff's backs, paying attention to hours worked, communicating, listening, and including staff in decision making. Mental health days should count as sick days. The document concludes by recommending books on burnout, appreciation, leadership, courageous conversations, small acts of leadership, and provides contact information for the author.

1. Leaders and Burnout:
Protecting Your Staff From You
Suzanne Macaulay, Deputy Director
Pioneer Library System
Big Talk From Small Libraries
February 26, 2021

3. The Don’ts

4. X Don’t Create a Can’t Take Time Off Culture

5. X Don’t Email Nights & Weekends

6. X Don’t Attach Guilt to Sick Time/Vacation Time/PTO

7. MENTAL HEALTH DAYS
COUNT AS SICK DAYS

8. X Don’t Micromanage

9. X Don’t Say “We’ve Always Done It This Way.”

10. X Don’t Assume No News is Good News

11. The Dos

12. ✓ Have Your Team’s Back

13. ✓ Pay Attention to Hours Worked

14. ✓ Let Your Staff Try New Things

15. ✓ Communicate

16. ✓ Listen

17. ✓ Include Your Staff in the Decision Making Process

18. ✓ Be Consistent

19. Friendly Reminders

20. → We Aren’t Life Saving Doctors

21. → Your Goals Are Not Everybody’s Goals

22. → Take Care of Yourself

23. → It’s supposed to be fun

24. Follow-up Reading
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski,
January 2020, 978-1984818324
The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by
Encouraging People, Gary Chapman & Paul White, January 2019, 978-0802418401
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't, Simon Sinek,
May 2017, 978-1591848011
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts., Brené Brown,
October 2018, 978-0399592522
Small Acts of Leadership: 12 Intentional Behaviors That Lead to Big Impact,
G. Shawn Hunter, December 2016, 978-1629561363

25. Contact
Suzanne Macaulay
Deputy Director
Pioneer Library System
smacaulay@pls-net.org
315-394-8260 x1106