There’s a book that sits on one of my shelves. I don’t remember where I got it. My guess is that it was assigned reading for a business or leadership class in college. Or maybe it was from my student government days. Regardless, I didn’t get the point at the time because I wasn’t in a position to really feel it. The book’s title? *The Lonely Whine of the Top Dog*

Now that I’ve experienced executive leadership and coached other CEOs as well, I feel it. Deeply. Leadership is lonely. “Top” leadership is the worst. We’ve created a culture of leadership that elevates us into impossible perceived perfection and isolates us through parasocial relationships. 99% of leaders don’t have a place where they can be real with others, and it’s hard to be real with yourself if others mandate alignment with impossibly high standards.