The Hidden Cost of Being a Leader
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 19
Written by Paul Beal, Therapeutic Coach
Paul Beal is a seasoned professional with over 30 years in HR, leadership, and coaching. Passionate about transformation, Paul, as a therapeutic coach, combines counselling and coaching to help clients uncover barriers and achieve personal and professional breakthroughs. Empathetic yet challenging, Paul inspires lasting change.
Leadership has never been straightforward, but in today’s world, it has become emotionally complex. Political, economic, and organisational uncertainty continues to place extraordinary demands on those tasked with leading. In healthcare, education, business, and the public sector, leaders are required to maintain performance, inspire teams, and deliver change against a backdrop of workforce fatigue, financial constraints, and societal turbulence.
While much attention is focused on team resilience and organisational strategy, far less is said about the toll these challenges take on leaders themselves. Research shows that leaders are at an increased risk of stress, burnout, and emotional exhaustion, particularly when operating in volatile, high-pressure contexts.[4][7] Many feel they must remain strong for others, leaving little safe space to explore their own doubts, fears, and vulnerabilities.
How therapeutic coaching can offer vital support
Unlike traditional executive coaching, which often emphasises performance outcomes and behavioural change, therapeutic coaching integrates psychological insight with coaching practice. It acknowledges that personal history, emotions, and patterns of thinking all influence leadership behaviour. By combining reflective dialogue with evidence-based techniques, therapeutic coaching enables leaders to process their experiences, build resilience, and reconnect with their purpose.
Why therapeutic coaching matters now
1. Creating psychological safety for leaders
Leaders often provide psychological safety for others but rarely experience it themselves. Therapeutic coaching creates a confidential and non-judgmental space where leaders can be honest about their challenges. This promotes self-awareness and reduces the isolation many feel at the top.[3]
2. Building resilience in uncertainty
Therapeutic coaching enhances leaders’ ability to adapt to external pressures and manage stress effectively. Evidence suggests that resilience can be developed through intentional reflection and skills practice.[6] Coaching helps leaders identify authentic and sustainable coping strategies.
3. Addressing the emotional burden of leadership
Carrying responsibility for others can lead to compassion fatigue and emotional overload. Therapeutic coaching enables leaders to process these emotions, reducing the risk of burnout and supporting healthier decision-making.[5]
4. Supporting authentic leadership
In complex times, people look for leaders who are authentic, compassionate, and grounded. Therapeutic coaching helps individuals align personal values with professional practice, enhancing credibility and trust.[1]
Holding the emotional complexity of leadership
Therapeutic coaching is not about ‘fixing leaders’ or labelling them as struggling. It is about recognising that leadership today is emotionally complex. Having a skilled professional who can help leaders hold that complexity with compassion, challenge, and psychological depth can make the difference between surviving and thriving.
As one study concluded, coaching interventions that integrate psychological insight are especially effective in supporting leaders through change and uncertainty.[2]
In these challenging times, therapeutic coaching offers leaders something rare, the opportunity to pause, breathe, and reconnect with themselves, allowing them to continue inspiring others.
Read more from Paul Beal
Paul Beal, Therapeutic Coach
Paul Beal is an experienced HR professional and therapeutic coaching specialist with over 30 years of experience in leadership and personal development. Integrating coaching and counselling, he empowers individuals to uncover hidden barriers, achieve breakthroughs, and unlock their full potential. A Fellow of the CIPD and Strengthscope Master Practitioner, he is passionate about helping clients navigate challenges in both personal and professional realms. Learn more about his unique approach to transformation.
References:
[1] Avolio, B.J. & Walumbwa, F.O. (2014). Authentic leadership theory, research, and practice: Steps taken and steps that remain. The Oxford Handbook of Leadership and Organisations. Oxford University Press.
[2] de Haan, E. & Nilsson, V.O. (2023). Evidence-based coaching: What we know and what we need to know. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 16(1), 3-14.
[3] Edmondson, A.C. & Lei, Z. (2014). Psychological safety: The history, renaissance, and future of an interpersonal construct. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 1, 23-43.
[4] Kutsyuruba, B., Klinger, D.A., & Hussain, A. (2021). Attrition, burnout, and retention of school leaders: A systematic review of research. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 49(1), 35-64.
[5] Maslach, C. & Leiter, M.P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103-111.
[6] Robertson, I.T., Cooper, C.L., Sarkar, M. & Curran, T. (2015). Resilience training in the workplace from 2003 to 2014: A systematic review. Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology, 88(3), 533–562.
[7] Skakon, J., Nielsen, K., Borg, V. & Guzman, J. (2010). Are leaders’ well-being, behaviours and style associated with the affective well-being of their employees? A systematic review of three decades of research. Work & Stress, 24(2), 107-139.
