Why do some people in the world’s most stressful careers avoid burnout while countless others are overwhelmed by the demands of ordinary jobs? What can we learn from these resilient role models who seem naturally resistant to burnout? After burnout caused a life-threatening health crisis in her own life, Dr. Kandi Wiens left a lucrative career in management consulting and enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania to understand why burnout was leaving millions of us sick, exhausted, unmotivated, and feeling stuck and ineffective. In her research, she discovered something remarkable: Despite dangerous levels of work-related stress, some workers seemed to be naturally “immune” to burnout. So what did these people have that Dr. Wiens and millions of others did not In digging further, she uncovered one key difference: Regardless of their role, industry, or experience, all of these professionals exhibited a high degree of emotional intelligence (EI). EI is the ability to clearly perceive, understand, and productively manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. The workers with burnout immunity were relying on specific EI skills to successfully cope with stressful work environments and experiences. The result-more productive, happier careers and lives, free from the physical and mental ravages of the exhaustion, negativity, and inefficacy that characterize burnout.
