27: When Public Sector Leaders Lose Motivation for A Career They Once Loved

Find the full transcript at https://spacetoshiftyourcareer.com/27

There is this moment public sector leaders don’t talk about a lot. 

It’s not burnout in the way we usually think about it. 

You're not exhausted from working too many hours. Not overwhelmed because you can’t cope. 

You’re experienced. Trusted. Respected. You know what you're doing.

But something has shifted for you.

Maybe you find yourself sitting in meetings, listening to conversations you’ve heard a hundred times before… 

Working on initiatives that once felt important… 

And then this questions pops up in your mind: “What’s the point of this?” 

That thought is uncomfortable. 

Because this is the role you once wanted. Maybe even worked really hard to get into. 

So why does it suddenly feel… empty?

Let’s explore what’s going on here. 

***

Yvonne Davidis helps public sector leaders develop exciting career options that align with who they are now and how they want to evolve in future. 

With 20+ years of moving countries, working for the UK and Denmark across three continents, plus professional coaching certifications, Yvonne is a unique specialist for leaders in the public sector considering their next chapter.

Book a 90-minute Jumpstart Session to clarify your deal-breakers and must-haves for a more satisfying work experience.  

For step-by-step support on your career change journey apply here for Yvonne's 5-month Find Your Career Space programme, and she'll be in touch to invite you to a free discovery call. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

There's this moment public sector leaders don't talk about a lot. It's not burnout in the way we usually think about it. You're not exhausted from working too many hours, not overwhelmed because you can't cope. You're experienced, trusted, respected, you know what you are doing, but something has shifted for you. Maybe you find yourself sitting in meetings, listening to conversations you've heard a hundred times before, or working on initiatives that once felt important. And then this question pops up in your mind. What's the point of this? That thought is uncomfortable. Because this is the role you once wanted, maybe even work really hard to get into. So why does it suddenly feel empty and flat? Let's explore what's going on here. You are listening to Space to Shift Your Career, a free resource for leaders in the public sector wondering what's next. I'm Yvon Davides and I've created this podcast to invite you to explore new paths that reflect who you are now and how you want your career to evolve in the future. I have a talent for creating a high trust space so you can reflect, think out loud and test your assumptions. And I love helping you explore, dream, and discover new possibilities for yourself. I moved country several times and I know what it's like to change careers, both within and out of the public sector. And I'm a trained career change and executive leadership coach. I've been working with career shifters as a mentor since 2013 and as a coach since I started my business in 2022. Now subscribe so you don't miss any new episodes. Now let's go. What's the point of this? Maybe you found yourself wondering the same. What many public sector leaders assume in this moment is maybe I'm just tired and need a break. Maybe it's just a phase, but often what's really going on runs much deeper. It's not necessarily burnout, it's misalignment. Specifically a misalignment between your integrity and your impact. Let's break down what this misalignment looks like. Integrity is about trust in leadership, belief in the system you're a part of, feeling proud of how decisions are made, knowing that what you're contributing to is right. Impact is about seeing tangible outcomes from your work, knowing it makes a difference, and feeling that your effort actually leads somewhere. So when both integrity and impact are present, you feel energized, motivated, and engaged. But when they start to drift apart, that's when motivation begins to disappear. You might recognize this if you no longer trust the direction your organization is heading in. Decisions feel disconnected from reality or from people. Or you're working hard but can't see what's actually being achieved. You find yourself going through the motions, or you start feeling a growing sense of frustration, even cynicism. And importantly, time off doesn't fix it. A holiday helps, but the feeling comes back. Because the issue is not capacity, it's meaning. This experience is particularly common for leaders in the public sector, because many of us didn't choose this work randomly. You chose it because you wanted to make a difference, contribute to society, and work on something that matters. You came in with a strong sense of purpose. So when the environment shifts, when leadership changes, when trust erodes, when outcomes become unclear or political, it doesn't just frustrate you, it conflicts with who you are. When integrity and impact don't align for too long, you don't just lose motivation, you start to lose parts of yourself, your optimism, your sense of agency, your belief that things can be better. You might notice you care less than you used to. You stop speaking up, you disengage even if you're still performing. And that can be deeply uncomfortable because it's not who you know yourself to be. But this is not a sign that something is wrong with you. It's a sign that something is no longer right for you. Your response is not the problem, it's actually data. Data that tells you what matters to you, what you value, what kind of environment you need to do your best work. So instead of pushing this feeling away or trying to fix your motivation, what if you get curious about it? Ask yourself, where do I feel loss of trust right now? Where does my work feel disconnected from real impact? What specifically is no longer sitting right with me? And when did I last feel aligned? And what was different then? And most importantly, what does integrity look like for me now? What kind of impact do I actually want to have at this stage of my career and life? You don't have to have all the answers straight away, and you certainly don't have to quit your job tomorrow. But you can start taking small, meaningful steps. Reconnect with what originally motivated you and how that may have evolved. Explore environments where trust and impact are visible. Talk to people, doing work that feels more aligned. And if reaching out feels uncomfortable, remember you're not asking for a job. You are gathering information at this stage. You're exploring what else is out there. Losing motivation in a role you once loved can feel confusing. But often it's not about losing drive. It's about outgrowing an environment that no longer reflects who you are or how you want to contribute. And that moment, as uncomfortable as it is, can also be the beginning of something much more aligned. Until next time, make space, rediscover you, and then take action. Thank you for listening today. You care about solving real problems and making a difference. And you feel it's time to figure out in what way you can do that in the next chapter of your career. Learn more about how I help leaders in the public sector break through four limiting beliefs about shifting their career. It's based to shiftyourcareer.com. And if you're getting value from this podcast, please do share it with other public sector leaders who are considering what's next for them.