Souad Al Serkal on Burnout, Leadership & Workplace Culture

What happens when the pursuit of success begins to impact your health?In this episode of the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast, Souad Al Serkal, Founder & CEO of CommCation, shares her journey through burnout, leadership, communication, and the life-changing moment that forced her to rethink her priorities.From agency life and corporate leadership to building her own consultancy, Souad reflects on the lessons that shaped her career and her mission to bring kindness, trust, and empathy back into the workplace.She also opens up about the impact stress had on her health, the importance of setting boundaries, and why success should never come at the expense of well-being.Topics Covered:00:00 – I Got Cancer Because of Stress00:42 – Introduction01:27 – From Video Production to Communications03:00 – What Agency Life Teaches You04:04 – Founding CommCation05:12 – Leading with Empathy and Trust06:17 – What's Missing in Today's Workplace Culture07:45 – KPIs vs Clocking In and Out10:29 – Souad's Mission: Bringing Kindness Back11:54 – Burnout and the Warning Signs12:09 – My Doctor Told Me to Quit My Job13:36 – Reprioritizing Life After Cancer14:14 – The 10-Year, 5-Year and 1-Year Plan16:16 – Separating Work Stress from Home Life17:15 – The 20% / 80% Relationship Rule19:31 – How to Identify the Real Source of Stress20:10 – If You Worked as Much as You Meet...21:20 – Why There Is No Perfect Time Management Formula22:23 – The Importance of an Accountability Partner23:02 – Leadership Lessons from Customer Service24:00 – Final ThoughtsSubscribe for more conversations with global leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, and changemakers.Follow SEF:Instagram: @sharjahefTikTok: @sharjahefLinkedIn: Sharjah Entrepreneurship FestivalWebsite: sharjahef.com