02/13/2024

At Least 19 CEOs Died on the Job Last Year

Here's why leaders need work-life balance

Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I'm Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning.

Last year wasn't a great one for CEOs. In 2023, 1,914 chief executive officers left their posts, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That's the highest turnover rate reported by the global outplacement and coaching firm since it began tracking CEO exits in 2002. And 19 of those CEOs died on the job, according to the report, a sobering statistic that got me thinking about CEO burnout and how leaders can achieve wellness or, at least, work-life balance at a time when the top job is getting harder.

Becoming a better "corporate athlete"

Nikhil Deogun, who advises companies and CEOs on critical issues in his role as CEO of the Americas for Brunswick Group, says discipline is key to avoiding burnout. Deogun recalls the advice one prominent CEO shared with him a few years ago: "To do this job sustainably, you've got to be a better 'corporate athlete,'" this CEO told Deogun. "You have to be disciplined and diligent about what you do and who you are meeting."

Please select this link to read the complete article from Inc.