Recognising the Moment

The Phenomenon of Executive Drag

This page describes a specific pattern of experience that arises within substantial leadership roles. It is not a general leadership resource, nor is it advisory, developmental, or therapeutic in nature. It becomes relevant only in the narrow set of circumstances that occur when responsibility has reached a level where it is no longer being carried in the right place.

The Lived Experience

You are experienced, capable, and effective in your role. You do not lack confidence, judgement, or expertise. And yet you may recognise certain persistent indicators of operational friction.

Decisions and discussions may linger with you long after they have concluded. There may be a sense that matters continue to land on you personally despite layers of governance, delegation, and process. You might find it difficult to put work down even when nothing is actively wrong, or feel a persistent sense of being on the hook in ways that are hard to account for.

The role may feel heavier than can be explained by workload or complexity. Experience does not seem to reduce this sense of weight over time. You may find yourself noting that certain matters should no longer be sitting with you, yet they remain mentally present even after being resolved at an organisational level. These experiences are usually observed calmly and without drama.

The Misattribution of Character

This pattern is frequently attributed to personal traits such as conscientiousness or caring deeply about the role. It is often described as a facet of personality or a particular working style. In practice, this experience is not explained by temperament. It arises from where responsibility is being carried within the role, not from who you are as a person. This is why maturity and capability do not reduce the sensation of drag.

Exclusions

This calibration is not relevant where the primary experience involves a lack of confidence, fear of being found out, or emotional distress. It is not indicated for burnout, performance difficulty, or interpersonal conflict. It is not a resource for those seeking leadership development, coaching, or general support. Furthermore, it is not intended to address challenges that are purely operational, relational, or strategic.

The Structural Cause

At substantial levels of leadership, responsibility can begin to be carried personally rather than structurally. This is a subtle shift that often goes unnoticed because you remain entirely competent and effective. Over time, this produces an unnecessary personal load that is unrelated to workload or decision quality. While you may not have previously had the language for this, the lived experience is recognisable when described with precision.

The Result of Calibration

This work does not seek to improve capability or leadership style. It withdraws the structural conditionality that recruits identity into responsibility. The result is a distillation of the decision environment so that decisions sit entirely with role, mandate, and governance.

Matters no longer linger personally after they are concluded. The background weight associated with senior responsibility reduces without any change in workload. Judgement operates without personal involvement. Nothing is added. A structural interference is removed.

Indicators of Suitability

This calibration becomes relevant for those holding roles of significant consequence, such as a Group Executive, Board Chair, CFO, or Partner in a professional services firm. It is for those who recognise the descriptions above as an accurate reflection of their current state.

It is not suitable for early or mid-career leaders, or those seeking improvement, growth, or mentoring relationships.

The Finite Model

Engagements are private, one to one, and finite. They are structured around the removal of distortion rather than the development of skill. The process concludes when responsibility is no longer personally carried. There is no ongoing support or maintenance.

If this description is recognisable, a private conversation is the appropriate next step.