"Alex is an executive vice president at a technology and manufacturing company, and she leads one of the highest-performing divisions in the company. But Alex is stuck. The founder is also the CEO, so there's no clear path upward. She's a respected and results-driven leader, and because she has a protective nature, she worries that leaving might mean that the business hands her team off to someone less impactful."
"A Gartner survey shows that over half of C-suite leaders are likely to leave over the next two years and an LLH report found that burnout rose to 56% among leaders in 2024. As executive tenure shortens and burnout rises among senior leaders, many leaders want the answer to "What's next for me?" But too few leaders examine how emotional loyalty, especially to teams they built, may be clouding their judgment and keeping them trapped."
"Loyalty is one of the most valued traits in leadership, but when it overrides objectivity, it becomes a liability. A respected senior leader who stays too long out of loyalty can stall succession planning, miss the opportunity for creative new approaches, and risk eroding their edge and engagement. They also often experience burnout and resentment from doing work that they've outgrown."
Alex, an executive vice president, leads a top-performing division but feels stuck because the founder-CEO blocks upward movement and she worries about her team's future if she leaves. Over half of C-suite leaders are likely to leave within two years, and leader burnout rose to 56% in 2024. Emotional loyalty to teams can cloud judgment, stall succession planning, and cause leaders to outstay useful roles, eroding engagement and creativity. When cognitive style mismatches job demands, burnout and intent to leave increase. Leaders should evaluate whether loyalty is strategic or sentimental, align roles with growth, and plan transitions despite emotional complexity.
Read at Fast Company
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