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Why 2 Out of 3 Leaders Fail in Their First Two Years
September 8, 2024
Apr 7, 2024
Why 2 Out of 3 Leaders Fail in Their First Two Years—And How to Avoid Their Mistakes
Hello, my friends,
Taking on a new leadership role is exciting.
But for many, the honeymoon phase doesn’t last.
The reality?
Nearly 2 out of 3 leaders fail within their first two years.
Why? It’s not a lack of vision, intelligence, or ambition.
Instead, it often comes down to an unsustainable leadership routine.
The key to long-term success isn’t just being good at your job—it’s having a playbook that helps you stay energized, focused, and ahead of the curve.
The Symptoms of an Unsustainable Leadership Routine
Leaders can burn out not because they aren’t talented, but because they fall into routines that drain their energy.
Let’s talk about the four most common signs of an unsustainable leadership routine—and more importantly, how to fix them.
1. Decision Fatigue: Making Too Many Choices
As a leader, you’re constantly making decisions. But here’s the problem: the more decisions you make, the worse they become. It’s called decision fatigue. By the afternoon, you’re mentally exhausted, and the quality of your decisions plummets.
Action Step: Simplify your daily routine. Automate minor decisions, like meal choices or clothing. Steve Jobs famously wore the same outfit every day for this exact reason. More importantly, delegate decision-making on less critical matters to your team. The fewer decisions you have to make, the sharper you’ll be when it counts.
2. Reactive Leadership: Constantly Putting Out Fires
Many leaders spend their day reacting to issues as they arise. While it feels productive to tackle problems head-on, reactive leadership is a short-term game. Constantly putting out fires can distract you from the bigger picture and strategic thinking.
Action Step: Carve out “focus time” in your schedule, where you work uninterrupted on long-term projects. Block out these time slots like you would a meeting. You’ll be surprised how much more in control you feel when you’re driving the agenda instead of reacting to it.
3. Neglecting Personal Health: Sacrificing Yourself for the Role
It’s easy to believe that grinding through long hours is a badge of honor. But neglecting your physical and mental health leads to diminishing returns. When your energy plummets, so does your productivity—and your decision-making.
Action Step: Prioritize your health like you do your business. Make time for daily exercise, get enough sleep, and take breaks throughout the day. A healthier you equals a more effective leader. And don’t forget to schedule personal downtime just like you schedule meetings.
4. Failure to Delegate: Trying to Do Everything
The belief that “if you want something done right, do it yourself” can trap leaders in a vicious cycle of overwork. This can quickly lead to burnout, as you spend your time on tasks that could be easily handled by others.
Action Step: Start by identifying tasks that aren’t a good use of your time. Empower your team to take ownership of these tasks and trust them to deliver. Remember, your job is to lead—not to do everything.
Building a Playbook for Sustainable Leadership
Success in leadership isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter.
By recognizing these unsustainable patterns and taking action, you can build a routine that supports long-term success.
Leadership is a marathon, not a sprint, and the leaders who thrive are those who create a sustainable rhythm.
What’s in your leadership playbook?
👉 If you need help developing your personalized LevelUP Playbook, book some time with me at https://meet.drdegnan.com.
Find out how ready you are for C-Suite leadership. Take my scientific readiness assessment at https://csuite.drdegnan.com.
BURNOUT TEST
Reversing burnout starts by knowing how much you’re currently dealing with burnout. 🔥 🔥 Go ahead and take my free burnout assessment right now: https://burnout.drdegnan.com.
Every year, I take on a limited number of professionals who aspire to a successful executive leadership career without burnout.
If you would like to learn more, set up some time with me and discover if we are a fit, by going to https://meet.drdegnan.com.
Leadership is hard. We spend a lifetime perfecting to lead teams and organizations with tangible results that change people’s lives.
Let’s make sure we get it right without burning out.
Hi, I’m Oliver.
I have been living in the trenches of a C-suite leader for over 17 years, leading thousands of employees between Startups, PE, and Fortune 50 companies. I am the former SVP and CTO for IBM Watson Health, Chief Architect for Intuit in Silicon Valley, and founder of MoreTalent AI with a successful exit in the 7-figure range. Every newsletter I send out has invaluable insight to help you succeed in your journey.
Bibliography (This Article)
Baumeister, R. F., & Tierney, J. (2011). Willpower: Rediscovering the greatest human strength. Penguin Books. (Referenced for decision fatigue)
Gino, F., & Staats, B. R. (2014). The microwork solution: Breaking down the complexity of knowledge work. Harvard Business Review, 92(6), 71-76. (Referenced for reactive leadership)
Schwartz, T., & McCarthy, C. (2007). Manage your energy, not your time. Harvard Business Review, 85(10), 63-73. (Referenced for prioritizing health)
Buckingham, M., & Goodall, A. (2019). The power of trust: How companies build it and lose it. Harvard Business Review, 97(5), 86-93. (Referenced for delegating leadership tasks)
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