Leadership: Climbing a Mountain or Jumping Off a Cliff?

Leadership was once seen as a steady climb to the summit. Today, it can feel more like jumping off a cliff. The desire to take on leadership roles is declining. So what can organizations do?

Leadership used to be a dream for many white-collar professionals. It symbolized prestige, career advancement, the chance to inspire others, and the opportunity to shape vision and direction. It wasn’t seen as a futile climb—it was a meaningful ascent.

But today, the climb has lost its allure. Instead, stepping into leadership often feels like jumping off a cliff—into a life marked by blurred work-life boundaries, chronic stress, growing responsibilities, and the relentless task of managing uncertainty and chaos.

The result? A declining desire to lead.

According to Universum's 2025 Talent Outlook Report, the percentage of professionals who aspire to leadership roles has dropped from 36% in 2020 to 31% in 2024. The decline is even sharper among students—from 36% in 2020 to just 23% in 2024.

What’s Driving the Decline in Leadership Aspirations?

Today’s workforce is reshaping its definition of success—and leadership doesn’t always fit.

According to Randstad's 2024 Workmonitor Report, 60% of white collar professionals now prioritize their personal lives over their professional ones. Moreover, 51% say they would prefer to remain in a role they enjoy—even if it doesn't offer advancement—rather than pursue a leadership path.

In the past, leadership was synonymous with prestige, progress, and impact. But today, people are placing more value on work-life balance, meaningful work, and mental well-being. Continuing a career as an individual contributor—not a leader—is becoming a more attractive and sustainable choice.

Several trends are reinforcing this shift:

·       The gig economy offers autonomy and flexibility.

·       Remote work enables people to live and work on their own terms.

·       Alternative career paths allow exploration beyond the traditional corporate ladder.

·       A growing emphasis on mental health makes “stress-free” careers more appealing—especially to younger generations.

Leadership is increasingly seen as a trade-off, not a reward. Unless organizations rethink how they structure and support leadership roles, they may find fewer and fewer people willing to make the leap.

Are Young People Wrong to Be Wary of Leadership?

The hesitation many young professionals feel toward leadership roles may not be unfounded.

According to DDI's 2025 Global Leadership Forecast, stress levels among leaders have reached a critical point—40% of leaders are considering stepping down from their roles in order to protect their well-being.

Gallup's State of the Global Workplace Report (April 2025) echoes these findings. Engagement among leaders has dropped from 30% to 27% in the past year. For managers under the age of 35, the drop is even steeper—a five-point decline.

This fatigue and disengagement aren’t going unnoticed. Team members, peers, and even family and friends are seeing the toll leadership is taking. The result? A growing perception that leadership is not only unsustainable, but undesirable.

When current leaders are overwhelmed and disengaged, and when organizations fail to support them, it sends a clear signal to future leaders: Don’t follow this path.

How Did We Get Here?

The path to today’s leadership crisis wasn’t sudden—it’s the result of ongoing, compounding shifts.

The relentless transformation of work models—especially since the pandemic—combined with global economic and political volatility, technological disruption, and evolving employee expectations, has placed organizations in a near-constant state of flux. And the pressure of navigating this complexity falls heavily on leaders.

The impact is visible—and growing.

When we talk about the effects of this pressure on managers, we must also recognize a critical truth: what affects a manager inevitably affects their team. A manager’s stress, disengagement, or lack of clarity cascades down to the people they lead.

Employee engagement, well-being, and performance are inseparable from the experience of their managers. That’s why the challenges leaders face today aren’t just HR issues—they’re business-critical.

What Should Companies Do?

Here are the critical questions organizations should be asking:

·       Do you have structured development programs for newly appointed managers?Are you equipping them from day one with tools and support—such as "first 90 days" frameworks—to help them succeed in their roles?

·       Beyond leadership development, how are you supporting managers' well-being?What ongoing practices are in place to help managers care for their own well-being and recognize shifts in well-being within their teams?

·       How are you helping managers stay relevant and adaptive?Are you providing opportunities to stay up to date with technology, evolving work models, and global trends—and apply that knowledge effectively?

·       How do you define an exemplary manager?When you consider employee engagement, well-being, and performance, does your definition need to evolve? And how can you increase the visibility and recognition of role-model managers—internally and externally?

·       Are you listening to the next generation?What mechanisms do you have to understand how students and employees perceive leadership? Where do your current approaches need to shift to better align with these evolving expectations?

If the desire to lead is declining and leadership fatigue is rising, the cost to organizations will be profound. Because ultimately, it’s not just individuals who climb the mountain or fall off the cliff—it’s the organizations themselves. The path forward is shaped by how we support our people—both employees and leaders.

This article was written in Turkish for Inc. Türkiye in May 2025 by Jale Aktug Aydogmus, Founder of Outliers Global