“Leadership is lonely.” 

I hear this from my clients and friends in senior leadership roles. While painful to hear, from my own experience, it resonates with me. 

The proverbial corner office can feel isolating, making it lonely at the top for organizational leaders.

One of the ways to combat this feeling is to be intentional about relationships.

There are many ideas and ways to consider engaging with others. One is through executive coaching. It allows for a confidential, empathetic dialogue that can create new ways of being for yourself and others. 

Another is to find a group of people you want to be around. This can be colleagues from professional networks or a hobby through a local organization.  

Create meaningful connections to boost feelings of connection and belonging.

I have found connection, belonging, and engagement opportunities as I have reinvented my life over the past few years that have been meaningful. I have found the following to help me, and I believe they can help you, too. 

• • Reach out to friends near and far. Planning a visit with friends after being isolated is fun and exciting. 
  • Join a club. Last year, I joined a country club, and it helped me get out of the house a few days a week, play a sport I love (even though I may suck at it some days), and meet new people! 
  • Challenge yourself to find happiness in the every day. The New York Times 7-Day Happiness Challenge is one example that provides prompts for reflection.
  • Join an Executive Coaching or a Mastermind Group. Getting together with leaders from other organizations can help you see that you are not alone in your emotions and challenge your professional growth, too.

Being lonely at the top can be temporary if you take some action to improve it. Email me, and we can talk about what this looks like for you, whether it’s joining one of my upcoming leadership programs or developing personal networks after business hours.