Burnout: The Warning Signs a School Principal Missed | Brad Gaynor

Is it burnout, or are you just tired? Former school principal Brad Gaynor's rule of thumb: if a weekend or a holiday fixes it, it's fatigue. If it's still there after weeks away, it's burnout. Content note: this episode includes discussion of burnout, depression, anxiety and panic attacks, serious illness and alcohol use. Support details are at the end of this description. Brad is an educator, author, executive coach and PhD candidate with more than 35 years in education, including 25 in school leadership. He is the author of From Burnout to Breakthrough: The Leadership Reset and Not One More Teacher Lost: How We Can Save the Profession. For years, Brad told himself he was just tired. He wore a mask at work, had panic attacks on the drive in and kept going, until he fell apart. In this honest conversation with host Francis Owusu, he shares what burnout really looks like, why the answer isn't more resilience, and what leaders and organisations can change so good people don't burn out, or leave. In this conversation: The warning signs of burnout he missed, and how they differ from ordinary fatigue Why "resilience" is an overused word, and why culture and conditions matter more Why higher pay alone won't solve the teacher shortage What makes a strong workplace culture: time, voice, workload, clarity and recognition The shame many men feel about not coping, and the mask he wore at work and at home Why taking time for yourself as a leader isn't selfish, it's modelling How a Facebook post became a Canberra Times opinion piece, then a book Moral injury: what happens when leaders have to act against their own values What stress does to your brain, and why it's a signal to slow down CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to Everyday Convos 00:37 Meet Brad Gaynor 03:23 Why he always knew he would teach 06:05 What's changed in schools 08:35 Two books, and the Facebook post that started one 12:42 Why pay alone won't fix the teacher shortage 14:49 From wellbeing to professional dignity 16:15 Why "resilience" is an overused word 17:47 What makes a strong workplace culture 21:38 Why he stayed in education 23:10 Loving the job, but burning out anyway 24:21 The warning signs he missed 26:06 Falling apart, and stepping away 28:11 A second blow, and seeing a psychologist 29:22 Putting a name to it, and writing it down 31:04 Shame, secrecy and telling his family 32:23 Men, vulnerability and the mask 33:42 How to recognise burnout 34:43 Burnout vs fatigue: the key difference 35:41 Prevention: fix the conditions, not the person 36:17 "I'm broken": the turning point 38:23 How to switch off: downtime, sleep and the right people 40:35 Is taking time for yourself selfish? 41:37 Can you change the system? 43:39 Why teachers belong on every education panel 45:58 What's next: speaking, a third book and a PhD 46:40 What is moral injury? 49:58 Living with it, and writing as therapy 51:28 What stress does to your brain 52:48 Thanks and close RESOURCES MENTIONED From Burnout to Breakthrough: The Leadership Reset by Brad Gaynor Not One More Teacher Lost: How We Can Save the Profession by Brad Gaynor Brad's blog, including his post on the neuroscience of leadership: bradgaynor.com.au FOLLOW Brad Gaynor: bradgaynor.com.au | LinkedIn: X: @brad_coaching Francis Owusu: @francisowusuofficial Subscribe for more conversations with everyday people living extraordinary lives. Want your own podcast? Produced by The Cultural Brokers: www.theculturalbrokers.au NEED SUPPORT? (Australia) Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 (24/7) or beyondblue.org.au If you are in immediate danger, call 000.