Ignoring the Personal Stress of a Key Executive Could Cost You Millions

Executive Summary

The personal, emotional struggle of a member of the executive team is a topic that in most boardrooms is not acknowledged, addressed, or open for discussion. It’s one of those proverbial elephants in the room that must remain hidden.

The thing about the elephant is:

We know it’s there. We know it’s real.
That’s why we ignore it.

Because the topic is taboo.

You and other key people on the management team are high achievers, high performers who are constantly on the move. You value solid metrics and happy shareholders. You put in long, hard hours and are justifiably proud of what you have accomplished. You love your work. Your high performance requires a certain amount of stress.

And yet, as human beings, life can bring personal stressors that, when rolled into stress that comes with the territory, can snowball out of control. This paper deals with the perils of not paying attention to those stresses.

The costs of ignoring the elephant are astronomical.

It’s disruptive to the organization and the consequences can be incalculable. Yet few companies assess the cost of a top manager’s lost effectiveness due to personal distractions.

Far Reaching Consequences

As much as excess executive stress is a huge drain on your company’s revenue, it’s even more dangerous for the person. For companies that consider their people their most important asset, this reason alone should compel you to act.