The leader position is often vied for because of the image it portrays: of ultimate power, position, and prestige that comes with it (Korman et al., 2021). They are increasingly romanticised as the highest achievement one can have (Meindl et al., 1985). However, the true weight of that chair can only be felt by the one who sits in it. The saying, “With great power comes great responsibility,” is indeed real and true. And the cost of this power is often paid in the leader’s mental well-being. What happens when they slowly start to crack under all the pressure?
What the data shows
Studies conducted previously continue to show that psychological strain is not just faced by employees. Rather, leaders also go through such problems (Harms et al., 2017). The Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 2022, showed how at least 26% of individuals in executive positions report symptoms similar to clinical depression. In comparison with the general workforce, this was 8% more.
Read More: Leadership Style And Its Psychological Impact On Employees’ Well-Being
Mental health Challenges for the leader
1. Expectations
Studies show that individuals usually have high and overachieving expectations from their leaders (Epitropaki & Martin, 2004). They are expected to be happy and optimistic (Trichas et al., 2017). They are assumed to be charismatic, possessing social power, compassionate, dedicated, influential, knowledgeable and much more. Handling all these expectations of others becomes a major source of challenge, which hinders their own mental well-being.
2. Stress and Burnout
According to Gallup 2023-24 data, “Manager burnout is only getting worse.” Development Dimensions International’s Global Leadership Forecast 2021 shows that about 60% individuals in leadership roles feel completely exhausted by the end of the day. The stress caused by dealing with the constant demands of work, continued multitasking, and decision-making often results in burnout.
3. Isolation
Leaders often face the challenge of not finding someone whom they can share their feelings, work struggles, or confide in ( George, 2015). This might often be because of a lack of people who can relate to their work struggles. The Harvard Business Review (HBR), 2024 article reveals that about 72% CEOs face loneliness, while 61% believe that it negatively impacts their performance.
4. Pressure of Responsibility
Leadership is increasingly linked with responsibility. Whether it be the functioning of the institution or organisation, organising teams, laying off people, every major decision is in their hands. The fear of taking the wrong decision and the guilt that is associated with it severely impacts one’s mental health and well-being, which stays around for a long time, often giving a sense of unworthiness and undeserving of their position.
5. Lack of work-life balance
With the fast-paced work and priorities preceding each other, leaders often face a lack of boundaries and clarity between professional and personal life. This further reduces the time leaders have for themselves and their loved ones.
Read More: Work-Life Balance Obsession in Gen Z: Causes and Psychological Effects
6. Specific to educational setting: Student’s mental health
One of the most challenging situations that educational leaders face is navigating students’ mental health (Adams & Olsen, 2017). School leaders have to provide support for this. In fact, the leader’s actions greatly determine the success of mental health programs (Parker et al., 2018).
7. Specific to corporate setting: High stakes & uncertainty
A lot of work done by corporate leaders, including setting and achieving targets and goals, is often done in the uncertainty of future outcomes. This involves taking big risks on their part, which increases feelings of anxiety and stress about the future.
How does this affect the leader of the individual?
- Issues like anxiety often cloud judgment, resulting in leaders making unsound decisions.
- Increased stress levels often lead to mental exhaustion and a lack of interest in one’s work, as symbolic of burnout.
- Leaders often face a lack of clear focus and a loss of motivation to achieve goals in such situations.
- The type of leadership has a direct impact on their subordinates (Reizer et al., 2019). The leader’s mental health heavily impacts that of the team and the organisation itself. If they are pessimistic and struggling, it will affect everyone else, too.
- The organisation itself would lose its creativity, productivity and result in reduced job performance.
What prevents the leader from seeking help
1. Stigma and fear of vulnerability
Despite the growing awareness of mental health and well-being in the workplace, there remains a barrier for those in higher positions. They don’t want to be vulnerable. The fear of being perceived as weak or unsuitable hinders individuals from seeking help even in dire circumstances.
2. Cultural myths
People often attach some myths to the position of a leader. They often talk about how strong or infallible a leader should be. That leadership itself comes naturally, and they should work more than others.
3. Lack of confidentiality and support
Leaders are often reluctant to disclose information about themselves to others due to a fear of a lack of confidentiality. This often comes up as an issue due to annual worker assessments in any organisation. They often fear facing a lack of support for their problems.
4. Organisational silence
The entire organisation is more often than not quiet about issues. Organisations often fail to recognise problems, spread awareness and orient people to such issues and send help.
Strategies to cope
1. Personal techniques
The leader should actively engage in self-care practices. This involves taking breaks and reflecting on one’s achievements and goals. They should try mindful practices to ensure better mental well-being. They should try building boundaries and take a rest.
2. Support system
Organisations should actively protect workers’ confidentiality and provide support to those in need. This will help the leader to reach out and seek support when necessary.
3. Organisational backing
Organisations play a big role in maintaining the mental health of individuals. This is why organisations should actively engage in promoting mental well-being and integrating it into their vision and values. This includes raising awareness, wellness programs, counselling, etc.
4. Speaking up
The leader has the ultimate power in any workplace setting. When they speak up about mental health issues and share their own experiences, it not only helps them to improve and actively work against these issues but also encourages an accepting culture in the workplace.
5. In the educational field
Educational institutions should actively raise awareness, provide counselling and mental health support for not only the students but also the teaching and non-teaching staff. We should create a healthy atmosphere where everyone feels free to speak up about their problems.
6. In corporations
Corporations, too, can create environments for people to talk about their problems freely. Studies continue to show that the leader’s health and behaviour affect the work of the employees too. Thus, it becomes even more important to spread awareness and increase social support.
Conclusion
While mental health is becoming a common topic of discussion and concern in all kinds of workplaces, there are still a lot of things that are often overlooked, and the leadership position turns out to be one of them. Everyone wants the leader’s chair. People often fail to recognise or acknowledge the burden that comes along with it.
There are a series of mental health challenges faced by leaders in education and corporations, including dealing with expectations of others, the constant stress of work that, if not looked after, can turn to burnout, lack of a proper work-life balance, pressure of responsibility, and the isolation that comes with the position. Dealing with students’ well-being turns out to be another major challenge in education, while high stakes and uncertainty are challenges faced by corporate leaders.
The stigma, fear of being perceived as weak, cultural expectations attached to the leadership position, lack of organisational support or even a human support system are some common reasons why leaders are reluctant to seek help. However, these problems can be solved by collective efforts through the leader’s own personal techniques, establishing a support network, organisational support through acknowledgement of the problem, awareness campaigns, counselling services, or simply speaking up.
FAQs
1. What are the mental health challenges faced by leaders?
Leaders are often faced with a series of challenges, including expectations of others, lack of work-life balance, stress burnout and pressure to perform.
2. Why do leaders not seek help?
The stigma around mental health, cultural myths, lack of confidentiality, limited support, and organisational silence often prevent leaders from seeking help because they fear how they might be perceived.
3. What are some measures to improve a leader’s mental well-being?
A leader’s mental health can be kept in check and improved through personal efforts, i.e, self-care, creating a social support system, through organisational changes, or even simply speaking up.
References +
Wan, J., Pan, K. T., Peng, Y., & Meng, L. Q. (2022). The Impact of Emotional Leadership on Subordinates’ Job Performance: Mediation of Positive Emotions and Moderation of Susceptibility to Positive Emotions. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 917287. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.917287
silent-strain-top-mental-health-among-executive-leadership
https://www.mcleanhospital.org/news/silent-strain-top-mental-health-among-executive-leadership
Cloutier, A. E., & Barling, J. (2023). Expectations of Leaders’ Mental Health. Journal of Leadership & Organisational Studies, 30(3), 276-296. https://doi.org/10.1177/15480518231178637
the-six-biggest-challenges-facing-leaders-around-mental-health-in-the-workplace https://nilohealth.com/blog/the-six-biggest-challenges-facing-leaders-around-mental-health-in-the-wor kplace/
