We all wear masks.
The mask of strength.
The mask of “always fine.”
The mask of saying yes when inside we mean no.
But those masks don’t protect us.
They drain us.
Research from Gallup and Harvard Business Review shows burnout isn’t just about workload or long hours. It’s about emotional dissonance, the gap between how people feel inside and how they show up at work.
I know this first-hand.
I burned out three times.
Not from deadlines, but from wearing the mask too long...
👉 Pretending to be fine when I wasn’t
👉 Staying silent when I should’ve spoken up
👉 Dimming parts of myself just to fit in
This was more draining than any deadline I ever faced.
In this keynote, I’ll show why leading with the mask on accelerates burnout and how removing it is the most powerful safeguard against exhaustion, disengagement, and turnover.
Drawing on over 15 years in the corporate tech sector, my own recovery, and coaching professionals worldwide, I blend research, neuroscience, NLP, and lived experience to deliver practical tools for real change.
By the end of this keynote, participants will:
- Build deeper self-awareness of their values, triggers, and strengths
- Spot the hidden costs of the “mask” that drain performance
- Learn why most burnout “solutions” fail and what actually works
- Gain a practical framework to reclaim energy and focus in high-pressure environments
The business impact:
- Stronger, more authentic leadership that inspires trust and clarity
- Higher productivity and sustained team performance
- Improved employee retention and reduced burnout-related turnover
- A healthier workplace culture that drives engagement and results
The antidote to burnout isn’t another time management tool, it’s leading from alignment without the mask.
