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Abstract: The notion that leaders must sacrifice personal life to achieve greatness is outdated, as recent research shows it's possible to have a successful career and fulfilled life concurrently. The key is for leaders to reframe their mindsets, redefine success beyond just work accomplishments, and make intentional choices to integrate work and personal priorities. This involves cultivating a "growth mindset" that sees work-life balance as attainable, implementing strategies to thoughtfully blend priorities, and influencing organizational cultures to support distributed, flexible leadership models that empower sustainable success and well-being. With the right approaches leveraging insights from research, leaders at all levels can achieve both impactful results and holistic fulfillment, disproving the myth that great leadership necessitates burnout.
The idea that one must sacrifice having a personal life in order to achieve great things as an organizational leader has persisted for far too long. However, research now shows that it is possible to have a fulfilled career and a fulfilled life outside of work.
Today we will explore how leaders can achieve success and well-being by adopting a balanced approach. Great leadership does not require burnout or an absence of personal fulfillment. Leaders simply need to reframe their mindsets and make intentional choices to maximize both their career impact and life satisfaction.
Defining Success Beyond Work Achievements
Before exploring how to balance leadership and life, it is important to clarify what defines success. For too long, cultural norms have equated success solely with work achievements like profits, promotions, awards, and accolades (Hill, 2014). However, research shows that holistic well-being and life satisfaction are also key components of success that leaders should factor in (Grant, 2016). When defining and measuring success, leaders need to consider their happiness, relationships, health, and overall quality of life - not just their career accomplishments (Rock, 2009). A truly "successful" leader is one who achieves impactful results and maintains well-being over the long-term.
Rather than viewing work and life as competing priorities, leaders must recognize these as interconnected parts of their overall success. Their performance and longevity are dependent on having balance and resilience across domains (Sinek, 2014). Leaders who learn to effectively integrate their work and personal lives will be the most sustainable and impactful over the long run.
Cultivating a Growth Mindset for Balance
Research shows that mindset plays a crucial role in a leader's ability to achieve balance. Those with a "fixed" mindset see work-life balance as an impossible goal and believe one must sacrifice aspects of their life to get ahead (Dweck, 2006). In contrast, leaders with a growth mindset understand that balance is attainable through continuous self-improvement. They view challenges not as barriers but as opportunities for development (Park, 2015).
With a growth mindset, leaders become their own "experiments" for refining how they show up in each domain of their lives. They make adjustments to cultivate greater well-being without compromising results. For example, the CEO of a technology firm realized he was missing family dinners due to working late. Rather than accepting this as inevitable, he experimented with redirecting evenings to focus time with an early departure from the office. This allowed him to improve his relationships and recharge without negatively impacting the business.
Leaders with a growth mindset also avoid judgment of themselves or others. They accept that achieving balance is an ongoing journey rather than a perfect state. With this empowering perspective, leaders welcome feedback and solutions from others rather than perceiving balance as a personal flaw or weakness (Sinek, 2014). They view obstacles not as failures but as learning opportunities.
Integrating Work and Personal Priorities
To operationalize balance, leaders must thoughtfully integrate their work and personal priorities. This requires understanding what truly matters to them and their overall well-being versus what is a distraction (Schwartz, 2004 ). For example, the CEO of a nonprofit used his values of community and family as guides. Realizing late nights at the office prevented volunteering at his children's school, he blocked out evenings for personal commitments. He gave direct reports autonomy to drive projects forward during this time so work did not suffer.
Leaders can also integrate priorities by setting boundaries and maintaining focus. For the director of a design firm, Sundays became dedicated to running errands and prepping meals rather than checking work emails. She found this established a weekly rhythm allowing recharge time without the mental strain of constantly shifting contexts (Achor, 2011). Setting boundaries maintains productive focus at work while allowing full engagement elsewhere.
The tools of integration may vary for each leader and context. But research shows those who implement any strategy, no matter how small, experience far greater well-being, motivation and performance versus doing nothing (Rock, 2010). Even short-term wins like declining one evening meeting a week or starting a walking routine during lunch can get leaders moving in the right direction. The key is consistent, intentional effort toward integration rather than seeing work-life balance as unattainable.
Rethinking Cultural Norms and Supporting Others
While personal change is impactful, leaders also have the ability to influence cultural norms around balance through the organizations they lead. Research confirms that supportive, flexible workplace cultures allow more integration of work and personal domains (Warner, 2015). Leaders set the tone and have a ripple effect.
The CEO of a financial services firm overhauled policies after realizing punishing hours and constant connectivity undermined well-being and retention. He instituted core working hours for availability rather than presenteeism, encouraged employees to take complete vacations, and offered resources like gym memberships and family support. This transformed the culture where people once felt obligated to sacrifice their lives. Work began to coexist with rather than dominate other priorities.
Leaders also foster balance by empowering others and addressing unrealistic expectations. For example, the chief people officer of a healthcare conglomerate shifted practices around performance reviews and promotions. Rather than emphasizing face time, evaluations centered on outcomes and competencies. Supportive managers were recognized for cultivating others' development rather than burning them out. This signaled that success depended on people's contributions and growth - not martyrdom for the organization's cause.
Leaders have the opportunity to create supporting institutions where work complements life rather than suffocating it. This elevates overall well-being, productivity and loyalty within organizations. Although change starts from within, leaders' influence also has power to shift cultural paradigms across society overall.
Implementing New Leadership Approaches
Practical Application and Examples
Embracing balance requires updating traditional models of "heroic" leadership that glorify overwork. Research confirms distributed, collaborative styles allow people to achieve more with less drain on their well-being (Goffee, 2011). These modern approaches rely less on individual charisma and more on empowering others.
For example, consider the success of the CEO who led a digital media company through a hyper-growth phase. Rather than trying to gain control of every detail herself, she focused on hiring strong talent and establishing core values of trust, transparency and shared responsibility. She led strategically through vision and goals but gave teams autonomy in execution. This enabled productivity during peak hours while allowing flexibility to integrate personal commitments the rest of the time.
Another leader exemplifying collaborative styles is the division president of a Fortune 500 manufacturer. He removed hierarchical barriers through flat structures and cross-functional partnerships. Direct reports worked cross-divisionally without needing to check with him for approvals. This distributed decision-making so he was not the sole bottleneck, freeing up bandwidth for integration of work with his social life, hobbies and community service.
Leaders embracing collaborative styles are not passive or hands-off. Research finds they provide purpose and direction through strong situational leadership that varies based on their teams' needs (Goleman, 2004). They step fully into visionary roles during strategy phases but shift to more coaching functions when others can direct tasks. These alternating leadership postures maintain productivity without overreliance on a single leader's bandwidth.
Through implementation of collaborative strategies supported by research, leaders can achieve great success for their organizations while attaining personally fulfilling lives. Distributed leadership is key for long-term sustainability - of leader well-being as well as enterprise performance. Those who lead this way will see greater retention of top talent who feel trusted and empowered rather than burnt out in service of a single heroic executive.
Conclusion
A balanced, fulfilling life is entirely achievable for great leaders, contrary to outdated cultural myths. With reframed mindsets and intentional choices, leaders at any level have power over their experiences and how they show up across work and personal domains. They can redefine success to encompass both career impact and well-being, cultivate growth orientations toward challenges, thoughtfully integrate priorities, and foster supportive environments empowering others. Modern leadership styles distribute responsibility rather than depending upon unsustainable heroics from individuals.
Great results and happiness are not mutually exclusive goals. Leaders simply need updated approaches leveraging research on work-life balance, work culture, leadership strategies and more. With insight into what drives their performance and longevity, leaders have everything within their control to achieve both significance and fulfillment. While attaining balance takes ongoing effort, even small wins establish momentum. Leaders who lead fulfilled lives themselves will create enduring value and inspiration for those around them. The choice is theirs - to implement solutions empowering sustainable success on all fronts. You can absolutely be a great leader and also have a life.
References
Achor, S. (2011). The happiness advantage: The seven principles of positive psychology that fuel success and performance at work. New York, NY: Broadway Books.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Random House.
Goffee, R., & Jones, G. (2011). Why should anyone be led by you? Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
Goleman, D. (2004). What makes a leader? Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review, 82(1), 82-91.
Grant, A. (2016). Originals: How non-conformists move the world. New York, NY: Viking.
Hill, L. A. (2014, May). Leadership in the 21st century. People and Strategy, 37(2), 4-7.
Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Strengths of character and well-being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23(5), 603-619. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.23.5.603.50748
Rock, D. (2009). Your brain at work: Strategies for overcoming distraction, regaining focus, and working smarter all day long. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Rock, D., & Schwartz, J. (2010). The neuroscience of leadership. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 16(3), 20-26.
Schwartz, T. (2004). Manage your energy, not your time. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review, 82(10), 63-73.
Sinek, S. (2014). Leaders eat last: Why some teams pull together and others don't. New York, NY: Portfolio.
Warner, J. (2015). Opting out? Why women really quit careers and head home. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Additional Reading
Westover, J. H. (2024). Optimizing Organizations: Reinvention through People, Adapted Mindsets, and the Dynamics of Change. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.3
Westover, J. H. (2024). Reinventing Leadership: People-Centered Strategies for Empowering Organizational Change. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.4
Westover, J. H. (2024). Cultivating Engagement: Mastering Inclusive Leadership, Culture Change, and Data-Informed Decision Making. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.5
Westover, J. H. (2024). Energizing Innovation: Inspiring Peak Performance through Talent, Culture, and Growth. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.6
Westover, J. H. (2024). Championing Performance: Aligning Organizational and Employee Trust, Purpose, and Well-Being. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.7
Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Workforce Evolution: Strategies for Adapting to Changing Human Capital Needs. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.8
Westover, J. H. (2024). Navigating Change: Keys to Organizational Agility, Innovation, and Impact. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.11
Westover, J. H. (2024). Inspiring Purpose: Leading People and Unlocking Human Capacity in the Workplace. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.12
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Balancing Leadership and Life: Achieving Success Without Sacrificing Your Well-Being. Human Capital Leadership Review, 16(2). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.16.2.1
