Signals You’re Operating Without a Leadership System

A short diagnostic for overwhelmed tech leads.

Burnout rarely starts with failure.
It starts with a structure that no longer fits the work.

This short checklist is designed to help tech leads and engineering managers recognize when they’re compensating for missing systems with effort, experience, and personal energy.

It focuses on:

• Focus and mental energy
• Time and structure
• Decision load
• Communication and interruptions

Most people don’t recognize these signals until exhaustion sets in.
This diagnostic makes them visible early.

What’s Included

• A 2-page checklist designed for screen or print
• Clear sections you can scan in minutes
• A simple scoring guide to interpret what you’re experiencing

How To Use It

• Check what applies
• Don’t overthink it
• The patterns matter more than the score

Why This Exists

If this checklist feels accurate, it’s not because you’re doing leadership “wrong.”

It’s because leadership work has changed, and your systems haven’t yet caught up.

Next Steps

This checklist pairs intentionally with:

• How Leadership Work Actually Flows
• The Tech Lead Operating System

You can also find related writing at mullins.io.