The Hidden Ledger: The Financial and Human Costs of Deferred Leadership Maintenance
I recently wrapped up a long-term coaching engagement with a C-suite leader who was, quite frankly, a dream to work with. She arrived at every session fully prepared, ready to move past the surface and wrestle honestly with some of my most challenging questions. We spent many months doing the deep, brave work of navigating a massive organizational merger while she simultaneously planned a significant career pivot.
As we were celebrating her success and satisfaction with the outcomes of her coaching work, she shared a recurring theme from her recent conversations with other executives.
When she told her peers about the coaching that helped her get there, the response was almost always: “That sounds amazing. What a luxury to have that kind of support and to take that time for yourself.”
I was struck by that word: Luxury.
It didn’t surprise me, and I certainly don't share it to be critical of the leaders who said it. In fact, if you’re a leader who views coaching as a "nice-to-have" or an indulgence, I want to start by saying: I get it.
Why we call it a "Luxury"
Most of us in leadership roles, especially in the non-profit or human services sectors, have been socialized in cultures that value self-sacrifice above all else. We are taught to focus entirely on the people we lead and the missions we serve. There is an unspoken rule that once you’ve "arrived" in a leadership position, you should already have the answers. Needing and seeking out help is often subtly framed as a sign of inadequacy, when in fact it’s a hallmark of professional maturity.
Furthermore, we’re told that any ongoing learning shouldn’t take up precious resources. Not our time, and certainly not the organization’s budget. So when we see someone take an hour a week to sit with a coach and think deeply about how to lead more effectively and powerfully, it looks like a luxury, like a spa day for the brain.
But while this perspective is understandable, I want to invite you to consider a different set of questions. Instead of looking at the cost of the investment, let's look at the cost of the status quo.
The True Cost of Going it Alone
When we decide that resourcing ourselves is too "expensive," we fall into a trap that most leaders know all too well: deferred maintenance. Ignoring a minor roof leak, putting off essential HVAC maintenance, or delaying a seismic upgrade because it isn't an immediate emergency today doesn't actually save you anything. It simply guarantees a much bigger, far more chaotic, and infinitely more expensive crisis down the line, like a flooded facility, a complete heating system failure in the dead of winter, or a deadly building collapse after an earthquake.
The same principle applies to leadership. When we put off supporting ourselves, we aren't actually saving money or time. We are simply deferring our own maintenance and shifting those unavoidable costs to a different, much riskier column on our leadership ledger.
The Cost of Burnout and Turnover
When a leader is "burned through" because they lack the support to navigate complex challenges, the organization pays. Research suggests that the cost of replacing an executive can be up to 213% of their annual salary. For a leader earning $150,000, that’s a $319,500 hit to the organization in search fees, lost productivity, and onboarding. When viewed from this perspective, is coaching a luxury, or is losing a talented leader on the rise the real extravagance? Especially when you consider that partnering with a credentialed, professionally trained coach requires only a tiny fraction of that replacement cost to help keep that leader thriving and in place.
The Cost of the Ship-Sinking Search
What is the cost of trying to keep the ship afloat while you search for a successor? When a respected leader leaves because they weren't supported, morale often plummets. Low employee engagement is estimated to cost the global economy $10 trillion (yes, trillion) in lost productivity. Within your own walls, that might look like "quiet quitting;" missed deadlines; a culture of survival rather than innovation; and a rapid erosion of psychological safety, a critical organizational asset that is hard to establish and even harder to rebuild once fractured.
The Personal Cost of Career Regret
Then there is the cost that doesn’t show up on a P&L statement, but it’s the one that keeps you up at night. What is the cost of giving up on a career you once loved because you didn't have the tools to stay? What is the cost of your health, your longevity, and your ability to be present for your family because you are carrying the weight of a massive organizational change effort or a toxic culture entirely on your own shoulders?
A Shift in Perspective
In my coaching session, my client didn't feel like she had just finished a "luxury" experience. Because she did the hard work of putting her learning into practice and following through on every action step, she became the linchpin of her organization. In fact, her leadership during the merger was so vital that the organization tried everything they could to convince her to stay, even as she prepared to pursue her new career goals.
She didn't just survive the transition; she mastered it. She had finally given herself the equipment necessary to do a difficult job well.
If we want to build wildly successful organizations and gain recognition for our contributions, we have to stop treating our own growth as an afterthought. We have to move past the tutting and shaming of self-resourcing.
Slowing down to think, feel, and strategize with a dedicated and professionally trained partner isn't an indulgence. It is a strategic imperative. And resourcing yourself this way as a leader isn’t just "nice-to-do." It is necessary for the survival of your mission and your well-being.
Real Talk: What is one leadership challenge you are currently facing that you feel you "should" be able to handle alone? What might change if you had a brave space to work through it?
