My work as an executive coach offers early insight into emerging topics within organizational culture. What starts as a casual conversation with one client often appears with others…and before long I’m reading similar headlines in the Wall Street Journal and seeing similar memes on Instagram. My clients frequently serve as early indicators of issues that are on the brink of becoming mainstream in today’s working culture.
Lately, I've found myself wondering whether leaders are becoming an endangered species, prompted by discussions with several talented professionals who are hesitant to climb the corporate ladder. Many are weighing the allure of higher pay and impressive titles against the toll that leadership responsibilities take on their personal and professional lives, and ultimately become reluctant to take on leadership roles.
I couldn’t help but marvel at just how far we’ve come from the competitive ambition of the eighties and early nineties, question why talented individuals are increasingly rejecting opportunities for professional growth, and wonder what this trend signifies for the future of corporate America.
In this article, we explore
👉🏻 Why talented professionals are hesitant to assume leadership roles,
👉🏻 Questions anyone should ask before assuming leadership responsibility,
👉🏻 Professional development opportunities that don’t include leadership, and
👉🏻 What companies can do to inspire more leadership aspirations from employees.
Why we’re passing on leadership roles
People are declining leadership roles because the job has become more demanding than ever, with unrealistic expectations and significant impacts on life outside of work. The promise of higher pay and status is no longer enough to offset the negative effects of leadership responsibilities on mental health and overall well-being. In fact, there are several factors contribute to making leadership more challenging than in the past.
High Expectations From Younger Generations
Younger generations expect their leaders to provide extensive coaching, mentorship, and feedback, along with consistent rewards and recognition. They demand leaders who prioritize a healthy work-life balance, adding layers of complexity to leadership roles and creating implicit expectations that many leaders struggle to meet.
Companies Expect Too Much With Too Little
Economic volatility and the pressure to balance growth with prudence have led many companies to adopt hiring practices that prioritize efficiency over headcount. Leaders are expected to maximize team potential, often to the point of burnout, as employees struggle to focus on long-term goals amid overwhelming responsibilities.
Talent Attraction and Retention Difficulties
Modern companies offering remote work options and comprehensive benefits packages pose challenges for traditional organizations to compete. Candidates prioritize health benefits, skills training, and work-life balance policies when considering job prospects, placing pressure on leaders to compensate for gaps in corporate policies and retain top talent.
Implied Expectations of Sacrifice
There's an unspoken expectation that higher earnings justify sacrificing more personal time for work. Leaders are expected to handle crises and make sacrifices without limitations on their availability. This culture of work encroachment prompts aspiring leaders to question whether the compensation associated with leadership justifies its toll on personal life.
Leadership Decisions Come Down to Knowing What You Want
There are plenty of reasons why a talented individual contributor and aspiring leader would question the cost-benefit breaking point of decisions to climb the corporate ladder. Instead of an assumed career progression pathway that ends in leading ever-increasing teams of people, many are asking themselves what they really want out of their professional lives and if leadership is the next brass ring they need to grab. When I’m coaching a client wrestling with career advancement decisions into leadership, here are the questions I ask:
1️⃣ How much of your time do you want to spend coaching, mentoring and developing others?
The higher up in leadership you go, the more of your time is dedicated to cultivating talent and building strong relationships. If you don’t love coaching, leadership probably isn’t for you. The company should also provide sufficient and continuous training on how to do so effectively.
2️⃣ How much power do you have to structure your team and workflow the way you see fit?
Leadership responsibility should come with some influence and decision-making authority to establish mutually beneficial working conditions. Be cautious if you lack the authority to establish an effective org chart and hire the right people for the right roles within your domain of responsibility.
3️⃣ What is the quality of life for those above you in the organizational hierarchy, and does it reflect a relationship with work that you aspire to achieve?
Your bosses should have a lifestyle you can see yourself living. If your bosses are working all hours, sending emails on family vacations, and appear to be stressed out and unhealthy, you may need to think carefully about the costs of leadership in that organization.
4️⃣ Why do you work?
If you work because your job is part of the purpose and impact you hope to have in the world, deepening that commitment by moving up the corporate ladder could be a very good decision. If you work because your career enables a life outside of work that’s meaningful to you in some way, think carefully about progressing up the career ladder once you’ve achieved a lifestyle you’re happy with. The costs are likely to outweigh the benefits sooner than you think.
Professional Development Alternatives to Leadership
The decision to climb the leadership ladder should be a conscious one, made after time to carefully consider the organizational landscape and a leader’s individual position in the grand scheme of the company and life. Instead of assuming professional progression begins with individual success and ends with leadership, consider alternative paths of professional development if leadership isn’t for you.
🧠 Think about ways to develop skills, expertise and mastery within your chosen field
💭Consider ways to expand your functional influence within your company and industry
💡 Reflect on alternative ways to share your wisdom and experience with those entering your field
🤝 Partner with leaders you admire to make their professional lives easier in some way
Advocating For Positive Leadership Culture
If leadership is a part of your professional calling and a milestone you plan to achieve, it is important to advocate for effective leadership support strategies within your organization. While a complete overhaul of corporate culture is often not in the cards, there are a few things companies can do to create a trend in the direction of positive leadership culture.
👉 Support and advocate for leadership training programs that teach the soft skills leaders need to manage teams effectively and meet the expectations of support the younger generation demands.
👉 Take feedback about limited bandwidth from your team seriously and research temporary strategies on your way to hiring full-time support. Advocate for internship programs, temporary workers, and contracted 3rd party support to provide low-commitment relief and use it as an opportunity to show what’s possible with more help.
👉 Recommend talent pipeline strategies that help to create organizational stability. Create internship programs and think about best practices to hire and lower levels of your department and promote, rather than the challenge of trying to fill vacant positions at the top.
👉 Nip workplace behavior that unnecessarily encroaches on personal time in the bud. Create a culture of work-life balance by putting a moratorium on indiscriminate after-hours communication. Schedule emails, avoid communication when people are out of the office and reinforce a culture committed to quality of life outside of work.
The evolving leadership landscape in today's corporate world reflects a significant shift in priorities and expectations as individuals increasingly weigh the personal costs of assuming leadership roles against the traditional allure of higher pay and prestige. The reluctance of talented professionals to ascend the corporate ladder underscores broader societal changes, including a heightened emphasis on work-life balance, evolving generational expectations, and the need for organizations to adapt to modern workforce preferences. As leaders navigate these challenges, it becomes imperative to not only redefine the expectations and support structures surrounding leadership but also to cultivate environments where leadership roles align with individual values, fostering sustainable success and fulfillment inside and outside of work.
Danielle Terranova is the voice behind Leadership Lessons with Danielle.
She has been an executive coach since 2015 and owner of Terranova Consulting, LLC since 2019.