The Hidden Costs of Executive Burnout
Laurel Bellows
Senior Executive Employment, Separation & Change-in-Control Agreements | Skilled Negotiator | Past President American Bar Association and Chicago Bar Association | Fierce Advocate Against Modern-Day Slavery | Speaker
In boardrooms across America, we're witnessing a concerning trend: Executive burnout isn't just affecting individual leaders - it's impacting entire organizations.
Traditional executive compensation models reward endurance and sacrifice. Longer hours, constant connectivity, and relentless travel are seen as badges of honor. But at what cost?
The real price tag includes:
Beyond the obvious health impacts, executive burnout creates blind spots in risk management and strategic planning. A tired leader might miss crucial market signals or fail to innovate when necessary.
Moreover, the 'always on' executive sets an unsustainable example for the entire organization. When the C-suite responds to emails at midnight, it creates an implicit expectation for everyone else to do the same.
What's the solution? Let’s consider how we structure executive roles and compensation. Some forward-thinking companies are:
The goal isn't to make leadership easier - it's to make superior leadership sustainable. After all, unless you’re Abdi Nageeye, marathons aren't won by sprinting.
What changes do you see organizations making to offset burnout? How do you balance high performance with the demand for non stop connection?
"Always on" culture is brutal. I've noticed that establishing (and enforcing) clear boundaries early in a client relationship is the most important thing. It's almost impossible in this environment of always being connected, but walking it back later is almost impossible.
So true, thanks for this important input.
Coaching achievers to master their mindset and be more productive.
2 个月You make a great point about the culture that's created when someone in the C-Suite is always working (emails, messages, etc.). Employees can't help but feel, even if it's a minimal, some degree of internalized pressure. The most exciting part about many of the topics you discussed - less can actually be more. Embracing mindfulness in the workplace (at all levels) will have a positive impact across the board.