Leadership Burnout: Why the Current Narrative Isn’t Working and How We Can Fix It

Burnout. Overwhelm. Exhaustion.

These aren’t just buzzwords. They’re the reality for many leaders trying to make it to the end of the week, or even the end of the day. However, what’s surprising is that most leaders aren’t just burned out due to their workload. They're overwhelmed because they’re trying to meet the impossible expectations set by social media, cultural norms, and even their own teams, expectations that are often not grounded in the realities of leadership.

In today’s world, leaders are expected to be everything at once: kind, supportive, emotionally intelligent, results-driven, strategic, calm, always available, and endlessly resilient. At the same time, they’re being judged not only by those above and below them in the organizational hierarchy but by external voices, social media, anonymous feedback surveys, and even people who have never led a team. It’s no wonder many leaders feel like they’re drowning.

The Human Cost of Misunderstanding Leadership

In my work with leaders and business owners, I often hear this: “Everyone has an opinion about what I should be doing, but none of them have actually led.”

This constant stream of unsolicited advice and uninformed criticism often leads to doubt, second-guessing, and eventually, burnout. According to a 2023 Deloitte survey, 70% of executives reported that they are seriously considering leaving their current job for one that better supports their well-being. Leaders aren’t quitting because they can’t handle the job; they’re leaving because we haven’t built a system that supports them.

One experience that sticks with me is a new leader I coached. She was eager, coachable, and committed to growth. But she was criticized by her manager, not for what she was doing wrong, but because a vocal team member didn’t like her holding them accountable. Instead of supporting her development, the senior leader caved to pressure, offering no guidance or clarity. She burned out within months and eventually left the company, convinced she was not meant to lead.

Unfortunately, her story isn’t unique. Many emerging leaders aren’t failing because they lack potential; they’re being set up to fail because we’ve handed them a title without a toolbox.

We’re Throwing Out the Right Words but Missing the Point

We often discuss concepts such as “servant leadership,” “empathy,” and “psychological safety.” And those are good things. However, using trendy leadership buzzwords without undertaking the deeper work to develop fundamental leadership competency is like handing someone a car with no fuel and expecting them to win a race.

What’s worse: many organizations are still operating under outdated assumptions. They assume that if someone is a good performer, they’ll be a good leader. They promote without preparing. They assign responsibility without offering resources. And then, when things get messy, they blame the leader instead of addressing the systemic gaps in development.

The reality is that 58% of managers report never having received any formal management training (CareerBuilder, 2022). And yet we expect them to navigate team conflict, performance pressure, and emotional complexity like seasoned pros.

So, What Do We Do?

To truly support leaders and reduce burnout, we need a new approach. Here’s where we can start:

1. Stop assuming leadership skills are innate. Leadership is a craft. It needs to be taught, practiced, and refined. New leaders must be trained not just in tasks, but in mindset, communication, and decision-making.
2. Create spaces for leaders to grow. It should be normal for leaders to admit they’re struggling. Just like elite athletes have a team that supports them, leaders Need that support as well. This includes coaching, mentoring, development programs, and feedback that builds rather than breaks. It won't happen in one day; it happens over time and is a continual process.
3. Invest in development, not just results. Too many senior leaders overlook the importance of developing the next generation of leaders. Leadership encompasses a wide range of aspects, including accountability, communication, planning, and many more. No leader will have had the experience to do it all the first time. There are always opportunities for improvement, and we must continue to invest in growth.
4. Redefine success. We must stop rewarding only output and start valuing how leaders are developing people, culture, and resilience. Leadership isn’t just about hitting goals; it’s about building teams that can keep going when things get hard.
5. Re-center leadership around humanity. Let’s be honest: leaders are people. They have limits. They need rest. They need support. We must give them room to be human and grow through their imperfections.

Leadership isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. However, progress can’t happen if we continue to measure leaders by unrealistic expectations and deny them the tools to lead effectively. We must rethink how we develop, support, and assess leadership, because if we don’t, we’ll continue to watch great people burn out and walk away.