Only 19% of rising leaders demonstrate strong delegation skills, according to new research from leadership consultancy DDI, even though effective delegation is the single most powerful tool for preventing leadership burnout.
The findings come from DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast 2025, which surveyed nearly 11,000 leaders worldwide and found that 71% reported significantly higher stress levels since taking their current leadership positions.
“Burnout is hitting leaders across industries at alarming rates,” said Stephanie Neal, director of DDI’s Center for Analytics and Behavioral Research. “Our data shows that leaders in education, healthcare and technology are under the most strain, putting organizations at risk of losing high-potential talent and seeing performance decline.”
Work arrangements affect burnout differently
The study found that while on-site leaders report higher stress levels (74%) compared to hybrid (72%) or remote (66%) counterparts, hybrid and remote leaders actually experience more burnout. This counterintuitive finding highlights how isolation and blurred work-life boundaries may contribute to burnout even when daily stress appears lower.
Mismatches between manager and employee work arrangements significantly worsen the problem, according to the research. Remote employees with in-office managers are twice as likely to be stressed than those whose managers also work virtually.
“Emerging leaders are struggling to transition from being ‘doers’ to ‘delegators,'” said Tacy M. Byham, CEO of DDI.
Business impact of leader burnout
The consequences of leadership burnout extend beyond individual well-being, the study shows. Burnt-out leaders are 34% less likely to rate their effectiveness above peers, 3.5 times more likely to quit for well-being reasons, and only half as likely to be engaged in their roles compared to non-burnt-out leaders.
Nearly one in six leaders are currently experiencing burnout, putting organizations at risk of workflow disruptions, diminished decision quality, and deteriorating workplace culture.
The research suggests traditional wellness programs alone are insufficient to address the problem. Instead, organizations should focus on developing delegation skills and creating structural support systems for leaders to distribute work effectively.
DDI’s assessment data, which evaluated more than 70,000 manager candidates, confirms that effective delegation remains rare among today’s rising leaders despite its outsized impact on preventing burnout.
