When Leading Hurts

When Leading Hurts shines a light on a hidden truth: Leadership can inspire and transform, but it can also wound. This groundbreaking volume explores the emotional and psychological toll that leadership roles can take, revealing how trauma sometimes emerges in organizational contexts and why it is so often ignored. Drawing on interdisciplinary research and compelling case studies, experts in psychology, leadership development, and organizational behavior identify the forces that leave leaders feeling isolated, undermined, and sometimes deeply harmed. Topics include toxic cultures, identity‑based harm, bullying, scapegoating, and gaslighting—issues leaders frequently endure but rarely discuss. Readers will find evidence‑based strategies for prevention and healing, including clinical guidance for therapists, coaching models, and organizational interventions for systemic change. Designed for leaders at every level and the professionals who support them, When Leading Hurts provides insight, validation, and a roadmap toward resilience, recovery, and reform.

Jennifer P. Wisdom, PhD, MPH, ABPP, is a licensed clinical psychologist, board-certified organizational and business consulting psychologist, author, consultant, and speaker. She has worked in complex healthcare, government, and educational environments for 25 years, including serving in the U.S. military, working with nonprofit service delivery programs, and as faculty in higher education. She consults with nonprofit and government agencies, research institutions, and universities to address leadership development and organizational change. She is author of 14 volumes in the Millennials' Guides series, Leaving Revolution: How We Are Learning to Let Go and Move On, and more than 100 scientific articles. Nina A. Nabors, PhD, ABPP, LP, is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of faculty and leadership experience in academia. She currently serves as Vice Provost for Healthcare Access and Quality at Walden University. She co-owns a group psychotherapy practice in Southeastern Michigan working primarily with clients from BIPOC, LGBTQAI , and other underserved communities. She is board certified in rehabilitation psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology and past president of the Association for Women in Psychology. She has published five book chapters, 15 peer-reviewed scientific articles, and over 65 conference presentations.