Bosses are burned out and many want to walk away, setting the stage for a leadership crisis
A silent crisis is brewing in boardrooms and corner offices: leaders are burning out.
According to the Global Leadership Forecast from consultancy Development Dimensions International, 71% of executives say their stress levels have surged since taking on leadership roles, up sharply from 63% just three years ago. Even more concerning, 40% considered leaving their roles entirely.
For company leaders, this isn’t just a leadership issue — it’s a talent retention emergency.
Today’s leaders are juggling an impossible combination of heightened expectations, shrinking timelines and thinning resources, according to the report. Only 30% feel they have enough time to perform their responsibilities with the care and strategic thought those roles demand. Those who feel under-resourced are twice as likely to fear burnout — a warning sign that organizational structures may be pushing high performers to the brink.
“Leadership today is more complex than ever, and many leaders are feeling stretched thin,” says Doug Staneart, leadership expert at The Leaders Institute, which runs corporate training and team-building events and which has worked with companies like Bank of America, Google and Microsoft. “Balancing competing priorities, team expectations and strategic goals can create significant pressure, which is why stress and burnout are becoming such pressing concerns.”
The effects extend beyond individual exhaustion. DDI’s data shows employee trust in management has fallen to just 29%, down from 46% two years ago. When leaders struggle, their teams feel it, undermining engagement, morale and retention across the organization.
“Leaders are carrying so much, not just their own jobs but constant changes in policy and law, increased pressure and expectations, and the emotional needs of their teams,” says clinical psychologist and executive coach Anne Welsh. “While the role has expanded in these ways, support hasn’t always.”
Welsh points out that at the end of the day, burnout is a systems issue, not an individual failing, as companies “are prioritizing urgency and output over human sustainability.”
The combination of high stress, eroding trust and unclear support structures is creating the perfect conditions for a leader exodus. Forty percent of highly stressed leaders say they’ve thought about quitting, according to the Leaders Institute study — twice the rate of their less-stressed peers. If even a fraction of those departures materialize, companies could face a dangerous leadership vacuum just as they’re navigating rapid digital transformation and economic uncertainty.
For CEOs, the implications are profound. The challenge isn’t just in finding the next generation of executives — it’s keeping today’s leaders healthy, effective and engaged enough to lead through change.
According to Staneart, preventing burnout among leaders requires systemic, proactive support, not one-off wellness programs or occasional check-ins. “Leaders are often aware of what needs to be done but don’t feel they have the bandwidth or support to do it effectively,” he says. “That gap can affect decision-making, engagement and overall confidence.”
The Institute recommends several practical steps companies can take, among them:
Prioritize reflection. Build time into leaders’ schedules for strategic thinking and self-assessment to prevent reactionary decision-making.
Encourage open communication. Create safe channels for leaders to voice concerns and exchange feedback, especially about workload and team dynamics.
Invest in emotional intelligence and resilience training. Skills like empathy, adaptability and conflict management are increasingly vital in high-pressure environments.
Support time management. Equip leaders with tools that reduce administrative clutter and help them focus on what truly drives business outcomes.
Model well-being from the top. When senior leaders visibly value balance and mental health, it sends a powerful cultural signal throughout the organization.
As Welsh sees it, employers would do well to treat sustainability in leadership as a priority. “Human capacity,” she stresses, “is not infinite, and ignoring that reality costs organizations in terms of retention, morale and money.”