Organizations Need a Reality Check

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Last year, I initiated a conversation about the unrealistic pressures on leaders in the post-pandemic environment. Beyond driving performance and navigating complex challenges, today's leaders are expected to provide work options for neurodiverse employees, be trauma-informed, and consider adjusting performance metrics to accommodate the personal health and well-being of each of their employees. The demands have become over the top.

Unfortunately, an article I read this week makes it clear that the situation has only intensified. I'm referring to a recent piece in Harvard Business Review titled How Companies Can Support Their Employees Going Through Menopause.

This is just another example of leadership expectations spiraling out of control. While fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace is crucial, is it realistic to think leaders should now play a quasi-therapeutic role in helping their employees navigate the intricacies of their life stages? The article's authors suggest that leaders consider surveying to gauge whether anyone on their team is experiencing menopause symptoms that interfere with their work—and, if so, what kind of support they need. Really? Where do we draw the line?

My point is this: Organizations desperately need a reality check. If we continue down this path, we risk burning out our most capable leaders and deterring the next generation from stepping up to the plate in their current roles and the roles that may lie ahead. In fact, that's already happening.

A recent article in Entrepreneur magazine titled Young Workers Don't Want to Become Managers highlights a growing trend among young professionals actively avoiding leadership roles. Can we blame them? The role of a leader has become a Herculean task, encompassing not just business acumen and team management but also an ever-expanding list of social, emotional, and personal responsibilities. The pressure to be everything to everyone is not just unrealistic; it's unsustainable.

Top executives need to acknowledge that their company's leaders can't possibly shoulder the burden of every societal, organizational, and even biological challenge that arises. There has to be a balance. Yes, these leaders need to be well-equipped to foster an empathetic and encouraging workplace. But they also should not be asked to take on inordinate responsibilities that clearly extend beyond their professional scope and expertise.