Say "NO MORE" to Proposal Burnout

This session begins with a discussion of the common causes of burnout and their repercussions that likely attracted attendees to the session. Attendees are encouraged to share their experiences, whether through personal stories or agreement with speaker statements (ex. raise your hand if you feel like you don’t have the resources to do your job well).

The discussion then turns to the concept of fear – fear of conflict, fear of speaking up, fear of getting stuck in the burnout loop. We discuss fear responses, which often manifest as anxiety and stress, and the cause of our fears: expectation. Expectations are what we believe should or will happen as a result of our plans, words, or actions. Expectations of retaliation for speaking up, for example, often hold marketers back from asking for more resources or a change in process.

Understanding expectations and how they hold us back and contribute to burnout, we turn to intention and teach attendees to create intention statements that are proactive, positive, and committed to personal responsibility. For example, an intention like ‘I am willing to practice patience in having difficult discussions’ encourages attendees to tackle burnout conversations with leadership persistently.

Finally, we walk attendees through a seven-step process on how to have difficult conversations. At this point, attendees are encouraged to imagine a difficult conversation, such as telling a superior that they do not have the bandwidth to add another proposal, and consider how they would approach that conversation using the process we have presented.

Audience Takeaways

• Discover how fear and expectations keep us from sticking up for ourselves and breaking out of the burnout loop.

• Learn how to construct an intention statement to break through the fear.

• In seven steps, learn how to approach difficult conversations with team members or management.

• Discover how to compile and use data gathered from difficult conversations, build confidence, and work toward resolution.

Conference Session Tracks

• Domain Track: Proposals & Management

• Career Track: Early Career, Mid-Level & Senior

Rachelle has been writing AEC proposals for 15 years, and has battled burnout throughout her career. She has presented at 30+ speaking engagements - podcasts, webinars, conferences, trainings. Co-host of the industry podcast "Burnout Banter" and Proposal Industry Experts' "Tales from the Pitch."

Connect with Rachelle on LinkedIn.

Jeff Visnic is a Certified Fearless Living Coach and founder of Reclamation Collaborative. Having spent 20+ years working in the construction industry, he has witnessed and experienced first-hand the impact your job can have on the other areas of your life if you don't vigilantly protect them. 20+ speaking engagements (webinars, conferences, podcasts, trainings). Co-host of industry podcast "Burnout Banter."

Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn.