Some figures:
45% of VSE/SME leaders feel isolated (Bpifrance study, 2016).
Since March 2020, more than 50% of VSE/SME leaders have the impression that they are no longer detached from work and 1/3 declare that they find it difficult to reconcile their professional life and personal commitment (Malakoff Humanis study).
Being a CEO or a COO means being on the front line when faced with the many difficulties that a company may experience. It means having to make heavy decisions and assume great responsibilities. To cope with this daily dose of stress, business leaders do not necessarily have the necessary support. Hence the feeling of isolation that affects many managers and that is sometimes wrongly considered as the price to pay for some.
Business leaders often impose on themselves the law of silence that aggravates the initial situation. Even if they can rely on a Management Committee, leaders often want to project the image of someone who is in control of the situation and does not need support or coaching.
No one else in the company has as many responsibilities as the company director. He has to face the complexity of the work environment: the requirements he sets himself in terms of strategy, competition, relations with partners are all situations that he has to assume and it can happen that he gets exhausted. A feeling of guilt can then gradually set in. When one ends up asking for help, those who are spontaneously turned to are those close to the business. However, those around them, friends or family, do not always give the most objective advice.
The loneliness of the leaders has significant deleterious effects on the company. Several methods exist to remedy the situation:
Communicating about your difficulties is one of the most difficult attitudes to adopt, but it is also essential because it is the first step to free yourself from this loneliness.
Who better than another executive to understand an executive’s situation? Sharing with a peer who has gone through the same questions, fears and doubts can help one feel less alone. Many clubs, such as the APM club, professional associations or groups of meetings between executives exist in all sectors. At the same time, do not hesitate to participate in symposiums, conferences or conventions to better experience your experience as an executive. We do not suspect the strong benefit that a meeting “outside the framework of the company” can bring.
By creating an advisory board, you won’t compromise your professional relationships. You will be able to freely discuss your pain points without rivalry issues. The advisory board brings together experts from outside your company who are there to provide you with a neutral and fresh look at your governance in order to help you manage your company even better. The interest of the advisory board is to get out of your daily analysis prisms which can tend to restrict your action perimeter in order to take a step back on your situation. The benevolence and the requirement of the advisory board can help you stay on course without being too intrusive because you will have the last word. The advisory board is in no way a decision-making body, it is a consultative body that helps you to forge your strategic vision and to get out of your daily routine. As you can see, the loneliness of the leader is not inevitable and the advisory board can help!
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