Executive Mental Health Statistics

After 20+ years studying organizational behavior and leadership, I need to share something that's been troubling me deeply, but I believe we need to address head on. 🔥 Are You Pushing Your Managers and Leaders to Burnout? 🔥 Think about it. We have workplace mental health and culture all wrong. 📌 Here’s what’s happening: - Leaders must provide 24/7 emotional support - They must be perfect, but allow others to be imperfect - Solve everyone’s personal problems - Never show weakness - Handle their crises invisibly 🔍 The Data Speaks: - 89% of managers feel burned out at least sometimes (Gallup 2023) - Managers spend 42% of their time on non-managerial tasks, mostly emotional support (Gartner 2023) - 60% of leaders feel "used up" by day’s end (DDI Global Leadership Forecast 2023) This isn't just talk. This is data. 🚨 The Impact: - Only 20% of managers feel confident addressing performance issues (HBR 2022) - Manager burnout leads to 22% lower productivity (Deloitte 2023) - 47% struggle to uphold standards without backlash (McKinsey 2023) We need to face this systemic issue that’s crippling our workplaces. 🤔 Time for Self-Reflection: - Are you part of this problem? - Do you expect more from leaders than you give? - Have you set unrealistic expectations? This is a wake-up call. I challenge you to think. 🔄 Share your thoughts. Have you seen this in your organization? #Leadership #OrganizationalBehavior #WorkplaceCulture #CEOInsights

Leaders can’t lead well in the age of AI or at all if they’re depleted. A remarkable paradox is shaping today’s C-suite: executives outwardly report strong mental health while privately battling stress, exhaustion, and anxiety. At Calm, we recently conducted a national survey of 253 U.S. C-suite leaders using TrueDot, which revealed that while 87% report "good" mental health, nearly half feel overwhelmed, and 25% experience anxiety or depression directly linked to their roles. The pressure is real: 41% struggle with sleep disruption, 34% with exhaustion. Top stressors include responsibility for others’ livelihoods, having no true “off switch,” and even considering resignation. The survey also found that even amid the focus on AI, leaders still believe in human potential: 79% call the brain the “original data center,” and most see AI as a complement – not a replacement. They’re right. That’s why mental health and sleep must be treated as core leadership KPIs, not optional perks. Read more about the findings from Calm’s Executive Mental Health Study here: https://lnkd.in/gPGa_-dP #Leadership #MentalHealthAtWork #Calm #FutureOfWork #ExecutiveLeadership #WorkplaceWellbeing #HumanCentered

When the person leading the room is running on empty, the whole system feels it. A recent ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership article brings powerful attention to the physical and mental health realities facing association executives—and the opportunity we have as a community to lead differently. 📊 85% of surveyed Chief Staff Executives said their well-being had been impacted by their role. 💤 60% reported sleep struggles or reliance on sleep medication. 💬 And six respondents shared that they’ve experienced suicidal thoughts. This moment calls for a shift—from leadership models built on constant output to cultures that prioritize sustainability, clarity, and care. As associations, we are meant to be communities that care for our people - including our staff and executives. Mental health support and system priorities are essentials - plain and simple. Boards can champion healthy boundaries. Recruiters can advocate for sustainable expectations. And as a sector, we can model leadership that includes rest, recovery, and resilience. 👉 The article is honest, practical, and full of insights. 📖 Full article here: https://lnkd.in/etqt-hEq Many thanks to the amazing colleagues who have worked hard to champion this cause: Adam Levy, CAE Silvia Quevedo, CAE (she, her, hers), Tara Puckey, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CMP, Lindsay Currie, CAE. A good starting question to kick off your team conversation: 💭 What’s one small change your board or leadership team could make to foster healthier leadership? #AssociationLeadership #Leadership #Governance #Associations #MentalHealth #CSE

I just came across some 2025 research statistics that made my jaw drop 81% of CEOs believe their organization views mental health struggles as a weakness 71% of CEOs reported feeling burned out or emotionally exhausted at least occasionally Looking at these 2 stats back to back tells me two things: 1. Burnout & mental fatigue are bigger problems than ever 2. People are suppressing their mental health challenges because of the stigma Here’s the danger about this – when people suppress their internal issues, they don’t go away. They get worse. Until a loud wakeup call comes like → a breakdown → a damaged relationship → complete disconnection & feelings of isolation → a health scare (that might even land you in a hospital) And here’s the thing: This doesn’t just affect performance. It impacts how you show up at home. How you make decisions. How you treat the people around you. How much joy you feel in a life you’ve worked hard to build. We’re not wired to operate in constant output. The mind needs a place to land. The body needs a moment to breathe. And every leader needs someone in their corner—not just for strategy, but for mental sustainability. There’s no shame in needing support. There’s only risk in ignoring the need. Let’s normalize that.

55 % of CEOs report mental health struggles in the past year—burnout, anxiety, depression. (Forbes) The ones who treat recharging as a strategic tool are the ones who thrive, grow revenue, and deliver lasting returns for employees and investors. A Harvard meta-analysis spanning 339 studies, 82,248 business units across 49 industries found that leaders well-being and engagement directly correlate with productivity, profitability, and retention. (HBR / HBS) In other words: burnout is real. Recovery is performance insurance. And here’s what rarely shows up on the org chart: the emotional drain. - 1 in 4 executives shows symptoms of clinical depression (vs. ~18 % in the general workforce). (McLean Hospital) - More than half of managers already feel burned out. (Harvard Business Review) It’s no wonder nearly half of COOs say talent retention keeps them up at night. (PwC COO Pulse, 2025) Because behind every metric is a person—and when people leave, leaders don’t just lose capacity, they carry the weight of broken trust and the pressure on those who stay. And 83 % expect to restructure their supply chains within 3 years. (PwC COO Pulse, 2025) That’s not just an operational shift—it’s late-night calls, re-forecasting budgets, and the anxiety of knowing one misstep can ripple across thousands of jobs and households. The cost is measurable. - Replacing a high-skilled employee costs 1.5–2× their salary. (SHRM) - Disengagement and burnout cost companies up to $500B annually. (Gallup) - Supply chain disruptions now erase 40 % of annual EBITDA every decade. (McKinsey) That’s the weight leaders feel at 3 AM. I’ve lived this. There were nights I woke up at 2 am replaying decisions (and still do) Moments my kids asked why I was “always on my phone" Weekends when my close friends carried the invisible tax of my absence. In the early days at Sotaog, exhaustion felt like failure. Somewhere along the way, it shifted. It became evidence that the work mattered. Last week at the Houston Energy and Climate Week Hackathon, I saw students pitch bold solutions—and I thought: this is why the sacrifice matters. Purpose pushes us far, but resilience keeps us there. That’s why recharging isn’t indulgence—it’s how we build the strength to keep creating impact. And yes—we all need to recharge. For me, that looks like: - Time with my kids. - Catching a Houston Texans game—even harder when you’re in the stadium witnessing the loss firsthand 🏈. – and a special shout-out to the Martye Kendrick CEO of NRG Stadium for the leadership she shows in making those experiences unforgettable. - A glass of champagne with friends. - The Houston Symphony. - And now—the inspiration of a new generation daring to solve problems bigger than themselves. 👉 when the pressures of supply chains, Capex, Opex, talent retention, etc pile up—what’s the proof that tells you your exhaustion is worth it? #Leadership #management #oilgas #energy #sotaog