A CIO client recently drove himself to the emergency room, convinced he was having a heart attack, but the doctor diagnosed him with a panic attack. This incident highlights the alarming rate of burnout among IT executives, with 15% describing themselves as burned out and another 33% experiencing some burnout, according to Foundry’s 2025 State of the CIO research.
Many IT executives are hiding their burnout from nearly everyone in their lives, and as an executive coach, I’m often one of the only people they confide in. The CIO who had the panic attack was leading his company through multiple mergers and acquisitions, working seven days a week, and missing time with his family.
The panic attack became a wake-up call for him to address his mental health and burnout. He scaled back at work, prioritized his health, and spent more time with his family. His story is dramatic, but the pattern of overwork is common among IT executives, who often describe exhaustion and reluctance to disclose their concerns.
When I ask executives who they’ve told about their burnout, the answer is usually me and maybe their spouse. They feel that their boss, the CEO, doesn’t have the time or interest to discuss their mental health, and they worry about being judged by their peers. This results in a profound sense of loneliness at the top of the IT organization, which can persist for years before anyone notices.
Several forces make this harder in IT than in other functions, including the technical culture and the avoidance of conversations about feelings. IT executives often come from deeply technical backgrounds, where long hours are normal and expected.
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They built their careers trying to outwork and out-code others, and they carried this work ethic into their executive role. However, this can make it difficult for them to recognize and address their burnout.
Hiding burnout can cost executives and their organizations dearly. I’ve seen clients come to sessions exhausted, week after week, and some have needed extended personal or medical leave to recover from chronic burnout.
Burnout also affects executives’ families, with leaders often telling me they’re doing it all for their family, but then disclosing that they have little time with them. They feel they must be on their phone even when they’re with their kids to keep up with demands. Burnout can erode executives’ performance, and in the most serious cases, they risk losing their roles altogether.
Asking for help can be a challenge for IT executives, but it’s a necessary step in addressing burnout. I suggest two starting points for clients who are ready to ask for help: finding community with fellow executives and therapy. Coaching and therapy serve different purposes, and senior leaders working through burnout often benefit from both. By asking for help early, IT executives can stay healthy and remain in their roles, and their organizations can benefit from their leadership.
My client’s health scare became the moment he gave himself permission to ask for help. I hope that IT executives will reach out long before their minds and bodies reach that point. In my experience, the leaders who ask for help early are the ones who stay healthy and remain in their roles, and their organizations are better for it. They can then focus on prioritizing their health and well-being.
