Survey Says: The Real Leadership Struggles No One Is Talking About
The results are in from my survey and they reveal information we can’t ignore!
Last month, I asked leaders in my network a series of questions on the theme of “What’s keeping you up at night as a leader right now?”
Over 80 of you shared your thoughts and your answers were honest, insightful and sometimes a little raw. Thank you if you participated!
Are you ready to hear what leaders are thinking about today?
Well, let’s start with the big takeaway:
Leaders are struggling because the expectations placed on them have fundamentally changed. They are being asked to do more, influence more, support more people and navigate more uncertainty…often with fewer resources and less time.
I’m curious. Does that resonate for you?
Okay, so let’s get into the details now.
Here are six themes that stood out from the data.
1. It’s Hard to Be Strategic When Everything Feels Urgent
The top challenge for leaders is being more strategic in their role. Many leaders feel pulled in a hundred directions with urgent tasks, competing priorities and constant firefighting.
Leaders said:
- “How do I get my team to achieve their outcomes when our workload keeps increasing?”
- “I just can’t get out of the weeds.”
It was not surprising to hear that 36% of respondents said that competing priorities are preventing their growth.
2. Stress and Overwhelm Are Everywhere
Managing stress and overwhelm ranked high. Leaders are navigating change, uncertainty and unclear direction from above.
One leader said they are “Navigating change in the dark.”
I think we can all agree that it’s hard to lead without clear direction.
This means that resilience is no longer optional. It has become a core leadership skill.
3. Performance Conversations Are Tough
Giving feedback and managing performance issues came up repeatedly. Leaders shared that they struggle with:
- Underperforming team members
- Difficult personalities
- Holding people accountable while preserving relationships
One leader said, “I need to learn to give effective feedback so that I can move away from day-to-day issues and focus on strategy.”
What an insightful comment! Giving effective feedback can help get you out of the weeds and focused on higher-level priorities.
4. Influence Without Authority Is Real
Many leaders feel responsible but not fully empowered. They are navigating senior leaders who resist feedback, teams they didn’t choose and stakeholders they don’t control.
One respondent said, “How do you manage your superiors, not just your team? I’m stuck in the middle trying to navigate it all!”
It has now become critical for leaders to influence up, down and across their organization!
5. Isolation and Self-Doubt are Very Common
Remote and hybrid work is leaving some leaders feeling isolated. Engagement, trust-building, and retention are real struggles sometimes with little budget or support.
Confidence amongst leaders is also low. Leaders shared fears about their value, whether they’re making the right decisions and taking the right strategic risks.
One leader said, “I want to feel more comfortable taking risks.”
To be honest, lack of confidence is a leadership epidemic that I have seen grow and grow over the past five years.
6. How Leaders Want to Learn
Learning preferences were clear:
- 50% want live workshops
- 31% want peer learning groups
- Only a small percentage prefer self-paced courses
Leaders want practical, real-world learning combined with discussion and peer connection, and not too much theory or fluff.
So, what does this mean?
Leadership development today needs to be:
- Practical: Provide tools that can be used immediately
- Bite-sized: Training needs to fit into already full schedules
- Peer-supported: People want to learn with others facing the same challenges
- Live: People want connection when they learn
The data shows us that learning in 2026 is not about one big course library.
Rather, it’s about meeting leaders where they are and giving them support that actually works.
Now I want to hear from you…
Were you surprised by the data described above?
Are you facing the same challenges?
Are you interested in more insights and recommendations from the survey? If so, you can download the full report here.
Thank you for sharing!
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