Reaching the top of the leadership ladder was once viewed as a significant career milestone—a chance to enact meaningful change and inspire others. However, this vibrant vision of leadership is fading. Many young professionals are now opting for non-leadership roles as overextended leaders struggle with excessive fatigue and stress. This trend is not only due to shifting priorities but also highlights a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. It serves as a wake-up call for organizations to rethink how they prepare their leaders for the changing demands ahead.
Strong, capable leaders are essential for achieving success. With seasoned leaders experiencing burnout at an increasing rate and fewer qualified candidates available to replace them, stability, innovation, and growth are at risk.
This article explores the reasons why leadership roles are becoming less desirable and discusses actionable steps organizations can take to address burnout while building a sustainable leadership pipeline.
Reluctance to Lead
The pressures associated with leadership roles have reached unprecedented levels. Today’s leaders are confronted with increasingly complex challenges, including managing hybrid work environments, integrating disruptive technologies like AI, and addressing the expectations of both internal and external stakeholders with transparency and inclusivity. In addition to these escalating demands, leaders must navigate economic uncertainty, rapid market changes, and rising employee expectations.
Burnout has become a central issue in the growing challenges faced by leaders. According to DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast 2025, 40% of leaders seriously consider leaving their positions to safeguard their well-being, which suggests a potential mass exodus. An LHH survey indicates that 56% of leaders already experience the burden of burnout, with 43% acknowledging that internal and external pressures significantly contribute to turnover within their leadership teams. These challenges affect individual leaders and have a widespread impact on team dynamics, reduce productivity, and undermine the cultural integrity of organizations, raising serious concerns about the future.
Burnout is often misunderstood as being solely a result of long working hours. However, many leaders now point to a lack of emotional support, unclear expectations, and the prevalence of an “always-on” culture as key factors. As younger generations witness the mental and physical toll that leadership can take, it’s no wonder they choose to step back from these roles.
Why the Leadership Pipeline is Shrinking
Leadership no longer holds the allure and mystique it once did, especially for Gen Z and Millennials. These younger generations prioritize flexibility, fulfillment, and work-life balance—qualities that often clash with traditional leadership paths. As a result, many of them choose to avoid climbing the professional ladder altogether, as those in top positions often seem lonely and stressed.
A Deloitte survey indicates a shift in workplace values, revealing that nearly 75% of Gen Z professionals prioritize well-being over career advancement. Additionally, the trend of “conscious unbossing”—the decision to move away from hierarchical roles in favor of entrepreneurship, creative endeavors, and specialized positions—is gaining momentum. This combination of leader burnout and younger generations’ growing disinterest in traditional career paths presents a concerning outlook for the future.
Directly Addressing the Issue
To change this trajectory, organizations must rethink how they support their leaders and prepare for the future. Implementing thoughtful and practical measures can ease the burden on current leaders, make these roles more appealing to the next generation, and ensure that organizations build a strong leadership pipeline for tomorrow’s leaders.
1. Reimagine Leadership as a Balanced Path
One of the misconceptions about leadership is that it must come at the expense of work-life balance. Organizations must dismantle this narrative by redesigning leadership to be more sustainable. By highlighting the benefits of a balanced leadership path, such as increased productivity and job satisfaction, organizations can make leadership roles more appealing to younger generations.
A great example comes from an MIT study that analyzed 76 companies and found that implementing no-meeting days led to a remarkable 73% boost in team productivity. Employees could focus on meaningful, deep work by cutting down on constant interruptions and meeting fatigue, leaving them more energized and satisfied with their progress.
Organizations must empower leaders to set boundaries—whether it’s declining weekend calls, ignoring after-hours email notifications, or both. Companies can normalize this behavior by promoting balance as an institutional priority.
2. Create a Culture of Connection and Support
I’ve witnessed the isolation many leaders experience, even those at the top of their field. A client of mine operates a mid-sized tech company and faces this very challenge. Their leaders manage immense demands but often feel isolated, lacking the necessary support systems. To tackle this, we established a peer coaching circle where leaders could meet monthly to exchange ideas, address challenges, and celebrate successes. One senior manager shared that realizing others faced similar struggles made her feel less alone and more capable of dealing with her own issues.
They paired newer leaders with experienced mentors, creating a remarkable ripple effect. For newly promoted team leads, the guidance provided by seasoned mentors proved invaluable in navigating challenging situations. Whether supporting a seasoned executive or someone stepping into a leadership role for the first time, having these connections can make a significant difference. This highlights the importance of leaders knowing they are not alone in their journey.
3. Prioritize Mental Health and Wellness
When organizations genuinely prioritize the mental health of their employees, including leaders, it demonstrates their commitment to well-being and a healthier, more supportive workplace. A great example would be how Salesforce offers leaders a comprehensive wellness program that includes therapy sessions, access to stress management training, and mindfulness resources. They also normalize discussing mental health challenges at all levels, de-stigmatizing the issue and encouraging proactive care.
Exhausted leaders are unable to lead effectively. Providing opportunities for them to rejuvenate, coupled with effective stress management techniques, enhances their capacity for growth and ensures their ability to lead long-term.
4. Provide Future-Focused Development
I’ve noticed a gap that many organizations share is the inability to create and scale internal development programs. While many leadership development programs have some value, they fail to address the day-to-day challenges leaders face or prepare them for the future. These programs must go beyond traditional success metrics to instead focus on cultivating skills like adaptability, empathy, and belonging. Leaders also need practical, actionable tools to help them tackle modern challenges—whether managing hybrid teams or leveraging AI to build connections rather than creating distance.
When designing a leadership development program for clients, we ensure it aligns with the organization’s strategy and objectives, enabling participants to work on projects tied to their daily challenges. By focusing on practical application and future-ready skills, these programs ensure leaders drive measurable impact while preparing for what’s ahead.
These programs don’t just build a strong leadership pipeline; they show potential candidates that stepping into a leadership position can be rewarding and within reach.
5. Drive Excitement Around Leadership
Leadership shouldn’t just rely on titles or monetary perks to inspire; it should ignite a sense of purpose and possibility. When I interviewed Ritz-Carlton co-founder Horst Schulze for my book, Culture Is the Way, he spoke passionately about selling the vision of leadership. He took pride in helping others see the impact and fulfillment of stepping into leadership roles.
It’s not just about the rewards, but also the meaningful work leadership enables. The opportunity to make a difference, recognize team achievements, and see how leaders shape the lives of those they lead creates a culture where people want to lead. For value-driven generations, incentives centered on making a difference tap into their desire to leave a legacy, making leadership exciting and deeply impactful.
The Role of Organizations in Rebuilding
A successful leadership pipeline isn’t an accident; it results from purpose-driven, future-focused planning. Here are three imperatives organizations can commit to right now:
- Invest in Comprehensive Programs: Design programs that align with organizational strategy and real-world application while focusing on soft skills that equip leaders to drive meaningful impact and future success.
- Focus on Well-Being: Make wellness a priority, not a reaction. Build it into the fabric of your organization by offering regular mental health days and proactive resources to prevent burnout before it begins. Supporting people’s well-being shows that they are more than just employees.
- Evolve Leadership Roles: Rethink what it means to lead. Move away from rigid hierarchies and explore more inclusive approaches like shared or distributed leadership. These models increase diverse perspectives, making leadership feel attainable, collaborative, and empowering for everyone involved.
The Time to Act is Now
The declining leadership pipeline is not just a passing trend; it reflects the urgent need to rethink our approach to current and future leaders. Overlooking burnout while sticking to outdated methods will result in instability and lost opportunities.
When organizations continually demonstrate what is possible and equip leaders to thrive instead of merely survive, leadership shifts from feeling like a heavy burden to becoming an incredible opportunity. Every thriving workplace is the result of a group of inspired leaders who share a compelling vision for their organization’s potential. The time to act is now.
Partner with us to design leadership development programs that drive measurable impact. Whether revamping or building from scratch, we’ll help create leaders who thrive, inspire, and deliver lasting results. Contact us today to shape a future-ready leadership pipeline.