Personnel issues and sensitive business decisions required discretion. As managers and leaders, we are responsible for establishing the social norms and moral for our teams. This can be tricky when bearing the burden of  information that must guarded. Leaders recognize that they are constantly being watched. How we react to a situation, can set the tone to how the staff behaves, both as individuals and affecting the team dynamics.

Often, we need to make plans based on sensitive information. But how do you establish an action plan when you can’t talk to anyone?

These are things that contribute leaders to feeling like it’s lonely at the top.

Harvard Business Review reported that 50% of CEOs reported feeling lonely at work, and of this group, 61% believed that the feeling hindered performance. When you look at first-time CEOs, the numbers climb to 70% in both categories. @forbes Rose Cartolari

In decision making we often need someone else to bounce ideas off. It can be difficult to find another leader who will listen without trying to solve the problem for you and who you can trust to be vulnerable with. A peer may not be privy to the same information as you. Sharing with a superior may leave the wrong impression that you can’t solve your own problems, or that you always in the need of help.

As you move up in your career there are few things you can do to help fill this void.

1-    Establish a personal board of director, more than one mentor, several. A team of people to provide you council, that you trust and can build on that trust with over time.

2-    Network. Join a professional organization where you can find people in similar roles and establish a peer network.

3-    Hire an executive or life coach, a professional to help you achieve development objects and act as a sounding board.

 

What are some ways that you can combat loneliness at the top?

 

Other resources

It’s Lonely at the Top, here’s how to deal with it. https://www.inc.com/tanya-hall/its-lonely-at-top-heres-how-to-deal-with-it.html

It’s Lonely at the top (Rose Cartolari) https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/10/18/its-lonely-at-the-top/#3df5d1cb552e

Demonstrate leadership in Time of crisis https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2017/05/12/five-ways-to-demonstrate-leadership-in-times-of-crisis/#5043c05a8ee2

https://www.inc.com/amy-vetter/why-most-successful-leaders-rely-on-executive-coaches.html

 

Networking Tips:

How to Encourage Networking that boosts company culture.  https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/287768

7 Ways to Better Network, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/288108

6 Rules of Leadership networking https://www.ccl.org/blog/top-6-rules-leadership-networking/