Executive Stress Management: 5 Warning Signs Every Leader Should Know
Stress isn’t the enemy of leadership. A certain amount of pressure sharpens focus and gets things done. The problem starts when stress stops being a temporary response to a hard week and becomes the background condition of how you lead. Executive stress management is about noticing that shift early. Many senior leaders I’ve worked with described themselves as “a bit off,” “running on fumes,” or “fine, just busy.” By the time the problem was obvious to them, it was already affecting their decisions, relationships and health. Below are five signs to watch for, with a practical step for each. Sign 1: You’re making decisions you’d normally question Under sustained pressure, you’re more likely to accept the first workable answer. You approve proposals without reading them fully, agree to timelines you know are unrealistic, or drop a concern without exploring it. What to do: Before any significant decision this week, write down one assumption it depends on and one risk you haven’t ...