You are not alone: The most common issues facing leaders today
- James Rule
- Jul 18
- 4 min read
Leadership can feel like a lonely road. Many of us have experienced this, I certainly have and it drove my decision to brand my business The Lonely Leader! I want to help and support you in avoiding the loneliness and isolation that frequently accompanies senior leadership roles.
The challenges you’re facing as a leader are more common than you think. I see that they’re shared by leaders across industries, roles, and continents.
In this edition of The Leadership Accelerator, I want to explore some of the most common issues facing leaders today and more importantly, offer ways to navigate through them.
This will be a slightly longer format and would appreciate your feedback if you enjoy the deeper dive.
1. Impostor Syndrome: “I’m not good enough for this.”
One of the most common yet least spoken about issues among leaders is impostor syndrome. Even the most experienced executives admit (often in hushed tones) that they wonder if they’re truly qualified for their role. They fear being “found out.” They doubt their decisions. They attribute their success to luck rather than skill. Harvard Business Review reports that up to 70% of professionals experience impostor syndrome at some point. Ironically, it often strikes high achievers the hardest.
What to do: Recognise impostor feelings for what they are: feelings, not facts. Build a "success bank" of your wins, feedback, and progress. When the doubt creeps in, revisit it. Talk to mentors or peers. Speaking it out loud often breaks its power.
2. Decision Fatigue: “I can’t make one more choice.”
Leadership requires constant decision making. Strategic, operational, financial, emotional. Over time, the weight of constant choices can leave you drained and second guessing everything, pushing you into procrastination. This is known as decision fatigue, and it’s real. Neuroscience shows that our ability to make good decisions deteriorates after prolonged periods of high stakes thinking.
What to do: Design routines and systems to reduce low level decisions. Automate what you can. Delegate wisely. And when it comes to big calls, take a break before deciding. A walk, a night's sleep, or a change of scenery can bring clarity.
3. Emotional Load: “I carry everyone’s stress.”
Leaders are often the emotional shock absorbers of their teams. You're not just managing workloads, you're holding space for everyone’s fears, frustrations, and fatigue. Over time, this emotional load can become overwhelming. Burnout isn't just about being busy it's about being emotionally depleted.
What to do: Set boundaries. You can care deeply about your team without taking on every emotion as your own. Get support yourself, whether that’s a coach or mentor or some form of peer group. You can't pour from an empty cup.
4. Isolation: “No one really gets what I’m going through.”
The higher you rise, the lonelier it can feel. You can’t always be vulnerable with your team. You might not want to worry your family. Unless you have peers at your level who understand the weight you carry, it’s easy to feel emotionally isolated.
What to do: Actively build your peer network. Find a mastermind, a leadership circle, or even a trusted group chat with other leaders who get it. The goal? A safe space to say “I’m struggling” without judgment.
5. Constant Change: “I can’t keep up.”
Whether it's AI, hybrid work models, market shifts, or economic uncertainty, today’s leaders are under unrelenting pressure to adapt. Many leaders feel like they’re building the plane while flying it, and that’s exhausting.
What to do: You don’t have to be the expert on everything. Build diverse teams. Encourage learning at all levels including your own. Let your team see you wrestle with change and still move forward. That’s real leadership, it will inspire them to follow your lead.
6. Lack of Feedback: “I never know how I’m doing.”
Leaders spend so much time giving feedback but rarely get it. When they do, it’s often formal, filtered, or months late. This creates a dangerous vacuum. You can’t improve what you’re not aware of, and you can’t celebrate what no one tells you you’re doing well.
What to do: Create reverse feedback loops. Ask your team simple, regular questions like “What’s one thing I could do better?” or “What’s something I should keep doing?” Make it safe and normal to talk about growth at every level, including yours!
7. Pressure to Always Perform: “There’s no room for failure.”
Many leaders feel like they’re one mistake away from losing credibility. The pressure to always be "on", confident, composed, productive, is intense. This performance mindset can lead to burnout, anxiety, and a fear of risk-taking.
What to do: Redefine failure as feedback. Share stories of your own stumbles, your team will respect your honesty more than your perfection. Create a culture where learning is valued more than flawless execution.
8. Struggling to Switch Off: “My mind never stops.”
Even when leaders are technically “off the clock,” their minds rarely are. You’re thinking about tomorrow’s meeting. Last quarter’s results. That underperforming team. That brilliant idea you don’t have time to explore. The result? Chronic mental fatigue that erodes your clarity, creativity, and wellbeing.
What to do: Build recovery into your routine. That means real time off, not just physical, but mental disconnection. No emails at dinner. No “just checking in” on holiday. Protect your mind like the valuable asset it is.
I share these themes to give you the comfort of knowing that every leader is wrestling to varying degrees with some or all of these issues!
As usual I profile this topic in a podcast episode (links below). This is designed to be another resource to consume at a time to suit you that can hopefully help reduce any sense of loneliness or isolation.
The message I want to leave you with is you are never truly alone. There is support all around you if you are willing to ask for it. If I can be of service as a coach or mentor then please contact me, it would be my pleasure to explore how I may be able to support you.
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