The Resilient Warrior Leader: Retool and Refuel for Leadership
The runner trains, the player practices, the warrior studies—so why do we assume that leading in today’s challenging world requires anything less?
I was speaking with a client recently as she prepared to retool and refuel her leadership for the year ahead. As we discussed burnout, fatigue, and the relentless pressures of leadership, I found myself saying, “Leaders need to be warriors! We need to train, practice, and study—just like athletes, great minds, or stoic warriors. Why do we think leadership requires anything less?”
She immediately latched onto the idea. “Yes!” she exclaimed. “I need resilient warriors! The task is too great, the challenges too complex—we need high-performing people!”
This leader however was also experiencing something else within her own leaders, something quite the opposite: burnout, fatigue and exhaustion.
The statistics are staggering:
A 2024 Deloitte report found that 70% of executives experience frequent burnout, and over 50% are considering leaving their jobs due to work-related stress.
A 2024 Gallup study revealed that 44% of managers and leaders feel emotionally drained by the end of the workday—significantly higher than non-managers.
A 2024 McKinsey & Company survey showed that 64% of senior leaders struggle with mental health challenges, citing excessive workload, decision fatigue, and lack of recovery time as key factors.
The idea of the exhausted, burned-out, emotionally drained leader is nothing new. And it’s only getting harder. The world is growing more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA), making leadership an ever-moving target.
Leadership today demands more than just assimilation, acceptance and mediocrity — it requires intentional training and practice, just like an elite athlete or seasoned warrior.
Angela Duckworth, author of Grit writes, "Grit is about working on something you care about so much that you're willing to stay loyal to it... It's doing what you love, but not just falling in love―staying in love."
She also emphasizes the role of deliberate practice in building grit: "Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare."
This aligns with our Resilient Warrior concept—leaders need both passion and practice to sustain their perseverance over time.
What does that training look like?
Am I talking about hydration, rest, and leg exercises? Well—yes, actually.
If you want to lead great organizations and causes, it requires more than just stumbling into work at 9:20 AM because you weren’t prepared for the morning rush and then slogging through the day. The leaders of today—the Resilient Warriors—must train their mind, body, and spirit with intention.
Consider a “Resilient Warrior Leader Code”:
Master the mind through awareness and continuous growth.
Strengthen the body through sustainable energy and endurance practices.
Connect with spirit through hope and compassion.
Commit to lifelong learning and adaptation.
Know thyself through inner strength and authenticity.
Where are you experiencing the most leadership fatigue?
Pause for a moment and reflect. Which areas of your leadership feel most drained?
Scan the below and think about where you are at as a leader at work today:
This journey isn’t just about surviving—it’s about thriving. Let’s start this journey together.
