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Executive health: why stress is becoming the biggest barrier to performance

During a recent webinar hosted by API in partnership with Rennes School of Business and Cerfrance, one insight stood out clearly: executive health is no longer a secondary topic — it is a core driver of performance. Based on a survey of over 3,700 business leaders in western France, the discussion revealed a critical shift. Beyond traditional concerns such as strategy, finance, or HR, a deeper issue emerged: stress, overload, and lack of time are now the primary obstacles to effective leadership.

When performance challenges go beyond strategy

The survey was initially designed to identify training needs. Yet, its results quickly pointed elsewhere.

Around 70% of executives reported experiencing daily stress levels that directly affect their ability to lead and make decisions. This is not a temporary issue, it reflects a structural tension in modern leadership, especially in SMEs where leaders juggle multiple roles.

The leadership paradox

Executives are highly aware of their challenges. They know they need to adapt their strategy, improve organisation, or rethink priorities.
However, cognitive overload prevents them from acting. Lack of time becomes both the cause and the consequence of the problem, creating a vicious cycle where pressure continuously increases.

Health: the missing piece in leadership

Traditionally, leadership performance has been treated as a cognitive or strategic capability. But this perspective is incomplete.
Stress is not just psychological — it is biological. Poorly managed stress degrades sleep quality, mental endurance, and decision-making clarity.
In contrast, when properly managed, stress becomes a performance driver. High-level sports provide a clear example: performance is not about avoiding stress, but about balancing it with recovery.

Toward a new model of sustainable performance

This is where a new approach emerges: integrating health into leadership development.
The programme Leader Fit developed by Rennes School of Business and its partners combines scientific insights, preventive health assessments, and leadership training. Its goal is not short-term well-being, but long-term performance sustainability.
Leaders learn how to manage energy, structure recovery, and maintain high performance over time.

Rethinking performance as a cycle

In today’s “polycrisis” environment, performance cannot be constant. It must be cyclical, alternating between intensity and recovery.
Leaders who understand and apply this principle gain a significant advantage, both personally and organisationally.

 

 Learn more about: Leader-Fit