"Spinning Plates" syndrome: Recognizing when your team's load is too heavy (and what to do about it)
Paula Fleming, CMSO, discusses how leaders, in their ambition, can inadvertently overload their teams, leading to a decline in quality—a phenomenon they call "spinning plates" syndrome. (May 29, 2025)
Let's be honest, leaders. We've all been there, driven by ambitious goals and the desire to achieve great things. But sometimes, in that fervor, we can inadvertently create a pressure cooker for our teams, loading them with so many responsibilities that quality inevitably suffers. It's a scenario I've witnessed countless times, and frankly, it's something I've even had to confront within my own teams.
Think back to a time when you saw a colleague or a team member visibly struggling. Maybe it was the content creator suddenly juggling social media and basic design, their once vibrant work becoming rushed and error-prone. Or the meticulous analyst pulled into countless meetings, their insightful reports starting to miss crucial details. These aren't isolated incidents; they're symptoms of what I call the "spinning plates" syndrome – a situation where individuals are trying to keep too many tasks in the air, and eventually, something's got to drop.
I recall an early campaign launch where our small marketing team was brimming with enthusiasm. Our leader had a bold vision, and the tasks just kept mounting. What started as eagerness to contribute soon morphed into a quiet exhaustion. Deadlines were missed, quality dipped, and the creative spark dimmed. It wasn't a lack of dedication; it was a team stretched too thin, so busy doing that we weren't doing things well. It took a significant misstep – a presentation falling flat due to rushed data – for the leadership to truly recognize the impact.
This experience taught me a crucial lesson: a team that's constantly juggling is a team that's at risk. And if you're noticing similar signs within your own organization – the rushed work, the quiet fatigue, the feeling of individuals being spread too thin – it's time for a serious leadership check-up.
The leadership gut check: Are we contributing to the overload?
This isn't about blame; it's about honest self-assessment. As leaders, we need to ask ourselves:
Do we truly understand the day-to-day realities of each team member's workload? Or are we operating on assumptions?
Are our expectations aligned with the resources and time available? Or are we consistently asking for the impossible?
Are we effectively prioritizing and shielding our team from unnecessary distractions? Or are we contributing to the feeling that everything is urgent?
Have we fostered a culture where it's safe to say "no" or "I need help" without fear of negative consequences?
Are we modeling sustainable work habits ourselves?
Beyond asking: Cultivating a culture of openness and action
Simply asking "Is everyone okay?" isn't enough. Meaningful change happens when we create an environment where our team feels genuinely heard and when we're prepared to act on their feedback.
Here's how we can move from inquiry to impact:
Create dedicated spaces for honest conversations: This could be regular one-on-ones focused on workload, anonymous feedback mechanisms, or team discussions specifically addressing capacity.
Listen actively and empathetically: Pay attention not just to the words spoken, but also to the nonverbal cues that might signal overwhelm.
Be prepared to make tangible adjustments: This might involve redistributing tasks, investing in additional support, streamlining processes, or even re-evaluating priorities.
Communicate transparently about the changes you implement: This demonstrates that your team's concerns were heard and valued, building trust and fostering a more supportive environment.
Recognizing the "spinning plates" syndrome in your own team isn't a sign of failure; it's a sign of awareness and a commitment to building a stronger, more sustainable future. By taking that crucial look inward and being truly open to change, we can move from a culture of overload to one where quality thrives, and our most valuable asset – our people – can truly flourish. Their success, after all, is the foundation of our own.
