HER CEO Breakdown

“Why Do Big Name leaders and CEOs Mess Up?” was the question I was asked at a recent leadership seminar. The seminar focused on the energy zones of leadership and the leader’s assets. “Why do so many known leaders and CEOs mess up their health or end up with ethical or relationship breakdowns?” the executive asked.

H.E.R breakdowns (breakdowns in Health, Ethics & Relationships) are often given the simplistic explanation that it happens because of the stresses of the job. The deeper answer is that the CEOs involved did not internalize the growth and development of their responsibility in a whole and balanced way.

The voltage analogy comes handy. When a CEO takes on a 500 volt responsibility but only grows and develops internally to contain 200 or 300 volts the capacity gap leads to a breakdown. Health, Ethical and Relationships (HER) collapse are symptoms of the incongruence. You must grow on the inside to make the outer development safe and stable. If done wisely, your development on the outside helps accelerate the inward journey.

In our recent KEY we explored the Four Ways to Grow. The best accelerated growth and development may have aspects of all four paths. You have to balance the external development with the internal growth. As you evolve in managing the organization’s strengths and weaknesses so must you gain a deeper insight about your own.

The fourth path (pilgrimage journey) begins on the inside and may lead you to a life of service into the world. The first (immersion), second (apprenticeship) and third (project, vision or crises) may begin the development on the outside but as you grow in your exterior capabilities, you must also work to find the internal growth to balance and match it.

The HER breakdown syndrome takes place because the increased responsibility on the outside is not supported by an inner growth. The inner structure cannot support the weight of the building and it gives in at the point of weakness.

What do you do to strengthen your inner journey? How do you internalize the development needed to support your growing responsibility?

Our executive coaching covers the 12 dynamics of growth and wellness. We help you identify what needs critical attention. We help you and challenge you to evolve in balanced way.

© Aviv Shahar