Podcast Summary: HBR On Leadership
Episode: When You’re Worn Down—and Your Team Is Too
Date: April 1, 2026
Host: Kurt Nickish (Harvard Business Review)
Guest: Daisy Auger-Dominguez (Workplace Strategist and Author)

Main Theme Overview

This episode dives into the challenge of manager burnout and disengagement, exploring practical ways leaders can rediscover and spread joy—even amidst heavy workloads, constant change, and remote work stressors. Daisy Auger-Dominguez, workplace strategist and author of the HBR article "Finding Joy as a Manager Even on Bad Days," outlines strategies for managers to foster sustained satisfaction and resilience in themselves and their teams.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Defining Joy at Work

• Distinction from Happiness:
  “It’s about finding deep, sustaining satisfaction in one’s work... Joy at work is closely tied to purpose, alignment, and well-being.”
  — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [02:51]
• Joy is not fleeting; it is rooted in meaningful connections, inclusive environments, recognition, and empowering others.

2. Manifestations of Manager Burnout & Joylessness

• Common Symptoms:
  • Anger, frustration, cynicism, and chronic fear that hamper creativity, productivity, and decision-making.
    “When your manager’s worn down, inevitably your team ends up getting worn down. That energy gets passed over.”
    — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [04:31]
• Middle Managers Especially Vulnerable:
  Facing pressure from both upper leadership and frontline teams, often without adequate support or recognition.
  “It’s just a recipe for deep, deep burnout.”
  — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [05:39]

3. Why Focusing on Joy (Not Just Burnout) Matters

• Shifting the Lens:
  Constantly dwelling on burnout can be demoralizing and self-fulfilling; focusing on sources of joy is more energizing and sustainable.
  “I want to emphasize the joy and the lightness that we can have at work because I do believe that that helps reduce burnout.”
  — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [06:45]
• Addressing What’s Within Reach:
  Systemic causes of burnout (overwork, lack of resources) aren’t always immediately fixable, but managers can control the moments, atmosphere, and their own mindset.

4. The Challenge of Remote Work & Disconnection

• Hurdles in Maintaining Joy Remotely:
  Remote work makes it harder to pick up on team members’ emotional states and provide spontaneous support.
  “It’s much harder when you’re on a screen to do the things that we do when we’re in a meeting... You don’t have the same human exchange that most of us need.”
  — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [08:50]

5. Tangible Steps for Managers Seeking Joy

a. Find Your “Why” (Purpose)

• Lean Into Self-Reflection:
  • Explore what brings energy and fulfillment; ask, “What is your best and highest use?”
  • Inspired by the Japanese concept of ikigai (reason for being). “Finding your ikigai requires you to lean into deep self-reflection... What is the impact of our work, good or bad, on others?”
    — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [09:56]

b. Embrace a Beginner’s Mindset

• Overcoming Expertise Tunnel Vision:
  • Encourage curiosity and openness to new approaches for yourself and your team.
  • Example: Coaching an expert to reframe a tiresome project with curiosity shifted energy entirely. “As a beginner, let me look at this with a very different light, and 9 out of 10 times we can see something different...”
    — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [12:08]

c. Share Joy and Give Gratitude

• Personal Practices:
  • Maintain a “happy folder” with positive notes and affirmations from others. “Every once in a while I forget... I go and remind myself, ‘Oh, you know what? I’ve actually gotten a few things right. The work I do matters.’”
    — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [13:59]
• Team Practices:
  • Encourage teams to create their own happy folders or “data that matters.”
  • Regularly celebrate small wins and show gratitude.
  • Refer to Simon Sinek: “When we help others, we find lasting fulfillment.” (Paraphrased, [15:59])

d. Model Emotional Contagion—Be Intentional and Consistent

• Vigilant Leadership:
  • Words and energy from the manager can uplift or deflate a team. “We can’t underestimate the impact of how others see us and... our actions and our words have on others.”
    — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [18:16]
• Authenticity and Kindness:
  • Daisy recalls (Google) arriving late to meetings and noticing deference from her team—reminding her of the unintentional power and influence a manager holds.

e. Self-Compassion and Pre-Meeting Rituals

• Lead Yourself First:
  • Positive self-talk and mantras to center before meetings.
  • “When I’m kind to myself, I’m kind to others... I didn’t believe in the power of mantras. I thought they were kind of woo woo things... and I have now become one of the biggest advocates.”
    — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [20:06]

f. Team Rituals and Practices

• Examples of Joy-Boosting Practices:
  • Start meetings with a round of personal questions or gratitude.
  • Use questions like, “If you were to write a book about your life, how would you title it?” or, “What’s the wildest employee request you’ve ever received?” [22:06]
  • Begin one-on-ones by asking: “Do you need me to witness, help, or distract you right now?” (From Xander Grashow)
  • Aim: Build agency, connection, and psychological safety.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Joy vs. Burnout:
  “You may already be feeling burnt out about talking about burnout because it’s become the topic everyone’s talking about.”
  — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [06:32]
• On the Excess Focus on Leaders vs. Middle Managers:
  “We tend to highly focus on leaders, but it’s really the middle managers that are carrying out all of these tasks.”
  — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [05:39]
• On the “Happy Folder”:
  “Recently I was sharing this at a talk I did, and someone referred to it as ‘data that matters.’ And I love that.”
  — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [13:59]
• On Managerial Impact:
  “As managers... we have the power to lighten someone’s day and to also just destroy it, even with best of intentions and unknowingly... It is our responsibility to show up for others.”
  — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [18:16]
• On Knowing It’s Working:
  “You see it in the energy of your team... in how people collaborate. You see it in reduced interpersonal tensions.”
  — Daisy Auger-Dominguez [23:34]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:51] — What “joy” means in a professional context
• [04:31] — How joylessness and burnout show up in managers and teams
• [05:39] — Why middle managers are at particular risk
• [06:45] — Why a joy focus beats a burnout focus
• [09:56] — The importance of “finding your why” for managers
• [12:08] — Embracing a beginner’s mindset
• [13:59] — The power and practice of gratitude and the “happy folder”
• [17:55] — The influence of managers’ words and actions on teams
• [20:06] — Self-kindness and rituals to set the right tone
• [22:06] — Concrete examples for instilling joy and gratitude in teams
• [23:34] — How to know if it’s working (team energy and collaboration)

Summary Flow & Takeaway

The conversation maintains a tone of empathy, practicality, and hope. Daisy Auger-Dominguez urges managers to begin with self-awareness and self-care, to bring curiosity and gratitude into their management style, and to recognize the influential role they play in shaping team culture. The episode is rich in actionable tips—ranging from introspective exercises to simple meeting rituals—that can help managers shift from a cycle of weariness to one of resilience and authentic connection.

In sum:
When you’re worn down—and your team is too—the antidote isn’t to ignore the systemic issues, but to exert agency where you can: rediscover your purpose, show gratitude, bring curiosity, and be intentional about the emotional energy you bring to every interaction. Managers have the power to not only survive in tough times, but to help their teams find meaning, connection, and real joy in the work.