In today's fast-paced business world, burnout is becoming a hidden epidemic among high-performing leaders. But according to executive coach Irene Ortiz-Glass, the root of sustainable leadership isn’t better time management; it’s self-leadership.
Ortiz-Glass said effective leaders must first understand their personal narratives. Childhood experiences, past trauma and ingrained work habits shape how executives lead today. Without intentional self-awareness, these unresolved patterns can lead to chronic stress, poor decision-making and organizational dysfunction.
The modern workplace only intensifies the problem. Always-on schedules and digital fatigue place leaders in a constant state of overstimulation. To combat this, leaders need to realign their values with their daily actions.
This means tracking energy, creating boundaries and investing in self-regulation. Not only does this improve personal well-being, but it also fosters psychological safety – an essential foundation for high-performing teams.
As younger generations demand more human-centered leadership, the old playbook no longer applies. The future belongs to leaders who are resilient, emotionally intelligent and brave enough to do the inner work.
