To Lead Others, You Must First Lead Yourself

Exhaustion in Executive Suites

One third feel permanently exhausted, almost half emotionally drained. What sounds like a clinical diagnosis is the reality in German executive suites. According to a 2024 study by the Boston Consulting Group, 48% of employees in Germany – including many executives – report mental exhaustion, declining performance, and growing irritability.

Burnout is no longer the exception. It is the symptom of a system in which constant availability, perfectionism, and identification with one’s role wear down the human being behind the function.

“Being Strong” by Old Rules

Many executives unconsciously follow an outdated script: Be strong. Keep functioning. Be there for everyone.
Those who never question this pattern end up living on autopilot – and eventually burn out.

The turning point begins with the realization that healthy leadership is not fueled by overload, but by self-leadership, clarity, and inner stability.

Causes: What Drives Burnout

Burnout is not a sign of personal weakness but a warning signal. The most common risk factors for executives are:

• Chronic overload without recovery

• Perfectionism and the need for control

• Lack of emotional support

• Unclear role expectations

• No room for reflection or self-care

The result: people keep leading, deciding, and organizing – while internally running on empty.

Impact: What Executives Radiate

Overloaded leaders are not an isolated risk; they shape the entire system. Stress, irritability, or lack of focus often spread to teams, stakeholders, and the corporate culture. Stress behaves like a virus.

Conversely, healthy, reflective leaders act as cultural amplifiers: they create clarity, set boundaries by example, and enable resilience in their teams.

Research shows: psychological safety, innovation capacity, and employee retention measurably increase when leaders are emotionally stable.

Best Practices from Companies

Several corporations demonstrate how self-care becomes a leadership responsibility:

• SAP: Mindfulness programs and coaching for executives.

• Deutsche Telekom: “Tiny Habits” for mindfulness in everyday leadership.

• Volkswagen: Strategies for healthy leadership in demanding industrial environments.

• Google: “Search Inside Yourself” – a program linking leadership with emotional intelligence.

• Microsoft: “Energy & Wellbeing Toolkits” for managers to foster psychological safety.

These examples make one thing clear: self-care is not a luxury, but part of the job description.

Responsibility: Who Ensures Self-Leadership?

Organizations must provide the framework – realistic goals, training, an open culture, and opportunities for recovery.
Yet self-leadership is not a task that can be delegated.

Executives themselves must ensure clarity, stability, and boundaries. It begins with questions such as:

• How seriously do I take my own limits?

• Do I speak openly about pressure?

• Do I actively plan recovery?

Self-care is more than a personal decision. It is a cultural signal.

Three Impulses for Self-Leadership

• Define boundaries – clarity reduces pressure.

• Plan regeneration – breaks are a duty, not a luxury.

• Speak openly – make resilience part of the conversation.

Conclusion: Self-Leadership Means Responsibility

Good leadership begins with yourself. Those who operate on autopilot for too long lose connection to themselves – and eventually to their team. Self-care is not egoism but an act of clarity.

Anyone who leads must take themselves as seriously as they take their responsibilities.

 

👉 Find impulses, training, and perspectives for healthy leadership at DIKT. Let’s talk.

Yours,
Nikolai A. Behr

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