June 2026 MCCE Board Member Newsletter Article
The Power of Strategic Simplicity:
Why Burnout is an Organizational Challenge, Not a Personal Failure
Booke Sticha
Executive Director
New Prague Chamber of Commerce
In my small community, there has been a long standing pattern: Chamber Directors often stick around for about seven years before moving on. While all circumstances are different, I’ve always wondered why that number seems to repeat itself. As I finished my seventh year in leadership, I’ve found myself wrestling with the same question the directors before me likely faced: Why am I so exhausted?
For years, this job has never felt like work. I genuinely enjoy connecting people, building relationships, creating experiences, solving problems, and helping move our community forward. Even the busiest seasons felt purposeful because I was energized by the work. Then, somewhere along the way, the excitement faded.
At first, I viewed my overwhelm and exhaustion as a personal problem to solve. I wondered if I needed to manage my time better, set stronger boundaries, or simply work harder.
Over the past year, through both research and personal reflection, I have learned that burnout is more of an organizational issue than a personal one. At some point, the issue is no longer whether an individual can manage their workload more effectively. The issue is whether the workload itself is sustainable.
Every year we are encouraged to innovate. New programs. New events. More communication. More partnerships. More ways to serve the community. Along with that comes a steady stream of suggestions, concerns, challenges, meetings (oh, the meetings!) and conversations that require time, energy, and attention. And, while technology has made aspects of our job more efficient, it has also created the expectation that we can do more.
Innovation is often defined by what we add: programs, events, committees and partnerships. But, rarely do we ask what can be improved, consolidated, or eliminated. We should focus on what delivers the greatest value and give ourselves permission to stop doing the things that no longer serve our mission. Excellence in a few key areas often creates a greater impact than doing many things ‘good enough’.
The solution isn’t always to work harder. Sometimes it’s to simplify.
What if innovation isn’t about doing more? What if it’s about doing the right things better?
Strategic simplicity requires us to focus on the activities that deliver the greatest value and have the courage to let go of those that no longer serve our mission.
So here is a challenge to chamber leaders:
Before adding something new, ask:
- What problem are we trying to solve?
- Do we have the capacity to do this well?
- What do we need to stop doing to make room for it?
- Is this making our organization stronger, or just busier?
Burnout is an invitation to rethink how we work, what we prioritize, and what we choose to carry forward. As leaders who want to thrive – not just survive – we have to stop thinking of burnout as an individual problem and start addressing it as an organizational responsibility.