Many senior leaders today are overwhelmed – and they don’t see a way out.
You may be telling yourself that this is just a short-term issue and that things will work out.
But maybe not.
According to research from Deloitte, nearly 70% of senior executives are seriously considering leaving their positions for the sake of their well-being. In this high-pressure environment, the traditional advice of “building resilience” often falls short. When chronic adversity is the norm, exhausted professionals don’t need stronger armor—they need to make a change.
The change that many executives are taking on is a complete redesign of their jobs.
Why is this necessary? Top jobs often become unsustainable because of the incremental addition of “one more responsibility” and the desire by many top leaders to “flatten” the organization by adding more and more direct reports to a position. The people who get “flattened” are the ones who end up with too many direct reports than they can handle – while also doing their own job.
If you want to redesign your job, here are some steps to follow, based on a recent article in Harvard Business Review.
1. Re-examine the Role’s Core Requirements
Modern leadership roles often cling to outdated norms of constant availability and “heroic individualism”. Step back and ask: What is the most important responsibility in this role? List out the top three requirements of the job.
2. Conduct an Internal Inventory
Once you clarify what the role truly needs, you must understand what you require to thrive. Be honest about what energizes you and what drains you consistently. Identify your “superpower space”—the work where you provide your highest value and best use. Focus your redesigned job on the core requirements where you provide the most value.
3. Implement Your Redesign
The final step is translating these insights into a specific action plan. This will require intentional shifts in a few key areas. Maybe you need to manage differently. Maybe you need to renegotiate the expectations that your boss has for you.
At the end of the day, this is a prioritization exercise: prioritization of your most important work and prioritization of your life. Keep in mind, you are not only making this job more sustainable for yourself, but also for the next person who takes on this position.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Eikenberg, S. & Martignetti, T. “What To Do When Your Senior Role Feels Totally Unsustainable,” Harvard Business Review online, January 21, 2026.
