How Leadership Behaviors Impact Workplace Stress
Episode 3: Interview with Tracey Wik, VP of Business Strategy at Harrison Assessments
Welcome to Courage to Advance, hosted by Kim Bohr and brought to you by SparkEffect, in partnership with The Empathy Edge.
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In this revealing episode of Courage to Advance, Kim Bohr and guest Tracy Wik challenge traditional approaches to workplace stress. Drawing from decades of behavioral data and leadership experience, they expose how burnout often stems from unconscious behavioral patterns rather than workload alone.
With 83% of U.S. workers suffering from workplace stress and 76% saying it affects their personal relationships, organizations continue investing in wellness programs and workload reduction—yet engagement and productivity still suffer. Why? They’re treating symptoms, not causes.
Through compelling real-world examples, Kim and Tracy demonstrate how our greatest strengths—whether being extraordinarily helpful, highly empathetic, or achievement-driven—can become our biggest derailers when overused. Drawing from Dr. Dan Harrison’s research on leadership paradoxes, they reveal how balancing seemingly contradictory behaviors is essential for sustainable leadership success.
You’ll discover:
- Why high performers unknowingly sabotage their effectiveness
- The critical difference between personality traits and behavioral tendencies
- Practical strategies for breaking the burnout cycle
- How to develop a more expansive leadership repertoire
Don’t miss the special offer for listeners to access the Harrison Assessment tool, complete with a professional debrief. Additional resources, including a self-reflection guide, are available at CourageToAdvancePodcast.com.
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Episode on YouTube
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Episode Resources:
"The Leadership Bermuda Triangle: A Behavioral Analysis of Self-Defeating Leadership Patterns" by Dr. Dan Harrison
.A groundbreaking white paper examining how specific behavioral patterns create unintended consequences in leadership effectiveness
"Is Your Leadership Style Creating Hidden Team Misalignment?: 15 Team Behaviors That Signal You Might Be in the Leadership Bermuda Triangle"
A practical self-assessment tool for leaders to identify warning signs of team misalignment and behavioral blind spots
"Are You Caught in the Leadership Bermuda Triangle?: 12 Warning Signs That Could Sink Your Team's Performance"
An executive quick-reference guide for recognizing and correcting leadership behavior patterns that may be undermining team success
