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

One CEO said, “It’s very tough to give your professional side its all when there’s trouble at home.”

A lot is expected of executives. Anybody dealing with personal issues, who doesn’t have their head in the game, is putting their performance at risk, putting their career at risk, and the people who report to them are under-supported because the person is distracted. They’ll have engagement issues, employee retention issues. Everything starts to spiral. The executive becomes more stressed. All of that adds up to escalating performance challenges. It’s a feedback loop. You get stressed out about being stressed out. Marc Lacoursière, President | The Achievement Centre

Any major unresolved emotional traumas … any physical, emotional or sexual abuse in one’s past … any stressors that have been bubbling under the surface can erupt and cause chaos as they cascade down and affect the entire organization.

Personal Struggles and the Risk of Burnout

Signs to Watch for:
People who are suffering from or on the verge of burnout exhibit certain destructive behaviors:
• Drinking too much

• Drug dependency, gambling, overspending, or other addictions

• Negativity

• Cynicism

• Irritability

• Quickness to anger

• Temper outbursts

• Loss of sense of humor

• Loss of focus

• Loss of enthusiasm

• Emotional exhaustion

• Detachment

• Depression

• Decreased concentration

• Difficulty making decisions

• Diminished interest in current projects