4 Habits That Will Help You Succeed in a Pressured World

It’s no secret that the pressure on senior management, especially CEOs, continues to mount and shows no signs of slowing down. CEOs are tasked with shaping the culture, representing the company’s values, and delivering results as the face of their company. As expectations rise and the window for change shortens, this role has become more demanding than ever. When companies struggle, it’s commonly assumed that it’s only the employees who are struggling. But in reality, it’s the CEO who is struggling, too.

CEO tenures are shrinking, according to Reuters, particularly in the retail and consumer goods industries, as boards move more quickly to course-correct during turbulent times. More than half of the Fortune 500 companies from 2003 are gone. The numbers are even starker for the S&P 500. Equilar’s ​​study found that the median CEO tenure has shrunk by 20%—from six years in 2013 to 4.8 years in 2022. Nearly 40% of S&P 500 CEOs serve between one and five years, and another 28% between five and 10 years. For CEOs determined to stay on top of their game and survive these shrinking averages, here are four often-overlooked tools to help you extend your tenure beyond tactical changes.

1. Think of yourself as an athlete-performer

You don’t have to be a professional athlete to act like one. In fact, as a CEO, you’re in the ultimate sport—business. While most athletes’ careers last five to 10 years, CEOs and business leaders have careers that span decades. CEOs often focus on building alliances and relationships to protect their role, but they can’t neglect their personal well-being. In addition to making clear strategic decisions, resilience is key to navigating the inevitable challenges and setbacks of the CEO role.

Just as athletes rely on training and recovery to perform at their best, CEOs need to take care of their physical and mental health to perform at their best as leaders. A record number of CEOs are leaving, with Challenger, Gray, and Christmas reporting 622 CEO departures in a record first quarter of 2024. Stress is part of the job, but routine health check-ups, regular exercise, adequate rest, and maintaining strong personal relationships provide a necessary buffer to help your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. CEOs, like athletes, need to take diligent care of their health—whether they’re in the office or on the road.

2. Don’t lose your identity

Being a CEO brings prestige and benefits, but it also comes with a lot of pressure, scrutiny, and having to make tough decisions that often affect individuals and their families. From the outside, people see the high pay, private flights, and other benefits, but rarely do they see the intense loneliness, constant thinking, and heavy burden of responsibility.

As many as 55% of CEOs have struggled with mental health issues in the past year, underscoring the fact that burnout is not a matter of title or position. One of the biggest, yet least discussed, threats to CEO longevity is the toll the job takes on your overall personal well-being—physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional. To stay mentally healthy and mitigate burnout, don’t let your role consume your entire identity. You’re not just a business leader, you’re also a spouse, parent, friend, and more. Maintaining hobbies and interests outside of work is essential to staying grounded, feeling fulfilled, and maintaining your sense of self-worth.

3. Accept and use your personal brand

CEOs have always been the public face of their organizations, but personal branding has never been more important in today’s world. A strong personal brand sets you apart, increases your visibility, and builds credibility and trust with your audience. According to a 2016 study in the Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies, “a CEO’s personal brand is likely to be more effective at generating goodwill and brand equity than a corporate brand alone, if only because society trusts personalities more than companies.”

In an increasingly tech-first world that often lacks authenticity, a personal brand humanizes you and builds a genuine connection. The same study found that audiences connect 100 times faster with a CEO’s personal brand than with a company’s product. While this level of exposure comes with added scrutiny, the benefits far outweigh the risks. Start by strengthening your executive presence and, in turn, your overall personal brand.

4. Stay curious and impressionable

Research from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology shows that about 40% of our daily activities are driven by habits, often performed in the same situations and sequences. As humans, we crave routine and certainty, and that extends to our work lives. But getting entrenched in familiar ways of thinking can lead to CEO stagnation.

While you can’t control external factors like market forces or geopolitical events, you can control your approach and mindset. The key is to remain curious. Jamie Dimon travels frequently to stay connected with employees and customers, learning from different perspectives and upcoming trends. CEOs who listen, learn, remain impressionable, and open to new ideas are better equipped to avoid complacency and stagnation. Getting outside, whether through nature or networking, is a way to generate new ideas and perspectives and improve your health.

Whether you lead an S&P 500 company, a startup, or a mid-sized privately held company, the stakes are higher than ever. Changing consumer demands, technological advances, and increased responsibility present personal and professional challenges that could threaten your tenure. But by prioritizing your personal well-being alongside your professional responsibilities, you’ll be better equipped to navigate these challenges—and extend your time at the top.