SVPs are the most miserable tier of the enterprise hierarchy - we were surprised and dismayed to learn this is a finding from one company’s engagement survey. We were dismayed because enterprises need leaders who can embrace, inspire and lead new ways of working. That’s hard to do when you’re miserable. We were so surprised that we went on to interview colleagues about several more enterprises of all sorts. Unfortunately, we found more examples of senior leaders burned out and frustrated.

Though we “call out” senior leaders for anti-agile behavior, Agile does not “call them in” with clear ways to learn and participate. In this talk we will explore three factors contributing to SVP burnout – lack of a first team, distance from the “real” work of leadership, and too much work-in-progress. We will propose new personal and organizational habits for you to offer "belonging" and relief to the most influential tier in the enterprise.

We all have agency to change this system! Let's work together to break down those impediments!