From Burnout to Balance – conversation with Kelly Dolanik

In this episode of I Want Her Shoes, host Anna talks with Kelly Dolanik – a former Microsoft and LinkedIn executive who now works as a transformational coach and strategic advisor. 

The conversation focuses on conscious leadership, burnout, and how alignment between purpose and performance can shape both work and personal life.

Recognizing Burnout Beyond Exhaustion

Kelly describes burnout not as simple fatigue but as “a soul-level misalignment where we’re doing a lot of what we think we should be doing instead of where we feel like our purpose lies”.

She explains that high-performing professionals often overlook the signs because they normalize stress. “We like to say we can do it… and so we miss that we’re actually in fight or flight a lot of the time,” she notes.

Physical awareness can help identify early warning signals. Kelly suggests paying attention to tension: “Is your tongue hitting the roof of your mouth? Is your jaw clenched or your shoulders up?” Recognizing these can help individuals assess whether they are functioning in alignment or survival mode.

The Science of Conscious Performance

Kelly’s work integrates neuroscience, mindset, and practical planning. Her process starts with “deep listening and getting a really good sense of where you are right now,” followed by defining a “desired state” and identifying “aligned and inspired actions”.

She uses structured tools to help clients visualize their current and target states. For individuals, this may be the Wheel of Life; for companies, a strategic plan. Both help clarify where energy and effort should be directed.

Drawing from neuroscience, Kelly highlights that “as we rewire our thoughts, behaviors, and emotional reactions, we can create new neural pathways”. This, she says, allows people to replace limiting beliefs with more effective narratives.

Energy as Currency

Energy management is a recurring theme in Kelly’s practice. She defines energy as “our greatest currency” and explains that “if you use it wisely, it expands; if you are reactive, then you burn it”.

One tool she recommends is a “priority-aligned to-do list,” designed to ensure that daily activities reflect actual priorities. She emphasizes breathing as a simple yet effective way to restore focus: “Finding that stillness within ourselves when everything else is moving around allows us to shift from doing to being”.

Leadership as Self-Alignment

Kelly links leadership growth to self-awareness. She suggests that leaders begin by believing in “another level or version of yourself,” followed by developing the “vulnerability to really look inwards.”

She describes a key mindset shift: “You created your life. To get out of autopilot, start by seeing life as a mirror of your choices”. Awareness and responsibility, she explains, are necessary to move from reaction to conscious action.

Creativity and Leadership

Beyond corporate coaching, Kelly has served on the boards of arts organizations such as Hubbard Street Dance and Bux Arts. She sees direct parallels between creativity and leadership. “Innovation comes from the inclusion of different ideas”, she says. The arts, in her view, teach that there is no single correct approach. It is a lesson that can strengthen collaboration and problem-solving in business environments.

Culture as a Competitive Advantage

Reflecting on her time at LinkedIn, Kelly recalls a mentor who told her, “Culture is a competitive advantage.” She connects resilience to alignment within teams: “Resilience comes from true alignment. When the team sees themselves as building something bigger than themselves”  she adds.

She shares a personal story from when she was considering the LinkedIn role. A recruiter asked whether she wanted “to continue in a job or to change the way the world works.” The question led her to think about purpose as a central element of professional engagement.

Reinvention as Evolution

In closing, Anna summarizes the discussion by stating, “Reinvention isn’t failure; it’s really evolution”. Kelly’s journey from corporate leadership to coaching illustrates how redefining purpose can support both personal balance and organizational clarity.