Executive Burnout Is Surging—Are You at Risk?

Something is breaking in leadership.

⚠️ CEO turnover is at an all-time high.
⚠️ 54% of leaders report feeling burned out.
⚠️ Employee engagement is plummeting, but so is executive well-being.

For years, the focus has been on employee burnout, but here’s the truth: leaders are exhausted, overwhelmed, and running on fumes. And when leaders are burned out, it impacts decision-making, team morale, and long-term strategy.

The problem? Leadership is really hard, and the traditional model isn’t built for today’s world. Leaders are expected to be always-on, crisis-ready, and endlessly resilient—but that’s not sustainable.

This week, we’re breaking down why leadership burnout is more than just an HR issue—it’s an existential business risk—and what leaders must do to fix it.

Three Reasons Leadership Burnout Is Skyrocketing

1. The Job Has Changed—But Expectations Haven’t

Leaders today aren’t just running companies; they’re navigating constant crises, economic uncertainty, AI disruption, skills scarcity, and record-low employee trust.

Yet, they’re still expected to lead as if the world hasn’t changed.

• What’s broken? Leadership has evolved, but many organizations still measure success by outdated, pre-crisis standards.
• What needs to change? Leaders must be empowered to lead differently—adapting to new realities with flexibility, innovation, and support.

💡 Action step: Assess whether your leadership expectations align with today’s workplace. If you’re still using pre-pandemic success metrics, it’s time to evolve.

2. Leadership Is No Longer a Team Sport

Some leaders rise to the top by competing—but staying there requires collaboration. And too often, leadership teams don’t function as teams at all.

• What’s broken? Many executives operate in silos, managing their own priorities instead of working together as a unit.
• What needs to change? The best leadership teams act as a support system, not a group of disconnected individuals managing their stress in isolation.

💡 Action step: Gut check your leadership team. Are you sharing the load and making decisions collectively? Do you support one another with the challenges you’re each up against? Or are you trapped in individual survival mode, protecting your own territory? If the latter, it’s time to rebuild trust and collaboration at the top.

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