Sleepless Leadership: What Keeps Leaders Up at Night

James R. Rector
Publisher, Profiles in Leadership Journal

The lights may go out in the office, but for many leaders the switch inside their head does not. Long after meetings are adjourned and decisions made, leaders lie awake carrying concerns that refuse to rest.

What are these worries? They are the weight of uncertainty, what will tomorrow’s economy bring, what disruption might be around the corner, what risk might blindside the organization. They are the worries of people, are the right talents in place, is burnout spreading quietly, is the team aligned. They are concerns about trust and reputation, where one misstep can undo years of work.

At home, these same worries do not simply vanish. Sleepless leaders carry them into the kitchen and into conversations with spouses and children. Restless nights can fray patience and cloud judgment. In both office and home, worry can distort perspective.

The truth is, leadership does not mean eliminating worry. Leadership means learning how to hold worry without letting it rule you. Wise leaders acknowledge their fears and give them names, so they lose their power. They create systems of support, trusted advisors, listening spaces, family grounding, that help transform fear into foresight.

The 3-Minute Leader takeaway is this: you cannot stop the thoughts that come at night, but you can choose how to respond to them. Do they drain you, or do they drive you to prepare, plan, and grow? Leaders who master this choice sleep better and lead better, at work and at home.

The 3-Minute Leader™ is a weekly leadership insight designed to inform, inspire, and strengthen emerging leaders in both career and life.