I coach a lot of leaders who each share a very similar sentiment – It can be a lonely at the top.
This thoughtful article from David Brooks at the Atlantic describes some of the research behind just that feeling.
Regardless of motivation, whether you are a leader driven by desire to be the best or one driven by growth and impact or any other driver, the statistics are the same; you are likely to be less happy once you achieve that long worked for promotion.
Evolutionary nature leads us to yearn for more. But is it worth it?
When you are at the top you don’t necessarily have peers that understand what you are going through. You often have hard trade offs to make that impact people you like and know well. You commonly experience extreme pressure from above and below. Sometimes a promotion can cause rifts in work relationships where peers are now subordinates. It’s not an easy job – and that’s why 1) it pays the big bucks and 2) still the majority of first time executives fail in their first 18 months.
Having another person to bounce ideas off is one of the most valuable resources available to us as humans. This article recommends executives talk to a therapist before or during a promotion. Equally, leaders can find valuable connection with coaches, like me, or organizations like YPO and other CEO networking groups. There’s so many resources available for executives to delve into.
What are your thoughts on David Brooks’ article? Have you been promoted and experienced any of the changes mentioned in the article? Have you seen others promoted and watched them experience the same?