In my conversations with leaders, I often hear a similar story: the number of items on their agenda keeps expanding, but not the hours needed to address them. The role can feel like a pressure cooker.
The BCG CEO Insomnia Index, a study of about 500 CEOs, puts numbers behind that reality. More than 70% of CEOs reported high stress levels, and 57% said near-term issues consume an outsize share of their time. Despite all the volatility in the world and its implications for companies and CEOs, the top three expected pressures are familiar. They are likely not that different from what CEOs would have said in the past:
– Meeting growth targets – Managing costs – Responding to board expectations (though one-third of CEOs say they have more to prove to their board than they did two quarters ago)
Business performance is still what matters most and, hence, the top pressure points.
What Lurks Beneath the Surface
CEOs, however, are not stressed over their ability to lead the company. This ranked 10th out of 11 stressors. Their own capabilities, after all, are something more wholly within their control.
Surprisingly, generating bottom-line impact from AI is ninth on the list. There are two potential explanations:
– First, their optimism outweighs their concerns. BCG AI Radar—a separate study released by BCG in January of this year—found 82% of CEOs said they feel more optimistic about AI’s potential this year compared to last. – Second, they don’t feel immediate pressure. Over the next six months, only 28% of CEOs—42% for CEOs of companies with $5 billion in annual sales—expect to feel “high” or “very high” urgency from key stakeholders to achieve a payoff from AI investments.
With AI moving so swiftly, their sense of urgency could suddenly shift.
The satisfaction of their workforce was fourth on the list of CEO stressors. Even in an AI world, strategic employee engagement and well-being are top concerns for CEOs.
Managing the Pressure
While short-term business performance remains paramount, CEOs also have to manage for the long term.
Treating your calendar as a strategic document instead of an administrative one can be effective in ensuring the urgent does not crowd out the important. A calendar unaligned with key strategic priorities is a missed opportunity to become a more effective leader—and to sleep better at night.
I don’t mean to diminish the stresses of the job. They can be relentless. As Christine Barton, a BCG managing director and senior partner and the North America lead of the firm’s CEO Advisory, says, “Chronic stress can narrow a leader’s field of vision, reduce cognitive flexibility, and increase risk aversion or impulsivity.”
Personally, my two most effective stress reducers are sleep and exercise. Looming problems often shrink after I cycle, run, or have an insomnia-free night of sleep—easier said than done. Periods of deep reflective thought can also be immensely helpful.
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The CEO Insomnia Index will be updated twice a year. I look forward to learning how the attitudes of other CEOs develop over that time.
Christoph Schweizer Chief Executive Officer
Further Insights
The BCG CEO Insomnia Index CEO pressure comes from all sides—performance, boards, employees, senior teams—but what feels most urgent isn’t always what drives CEO turnover.
