Leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about navigating constant scrutiny. Every move you make is analysed, every decision debated, and feedback, whether fair or not, is always coming your way. Some leaders take it in stride. But if you experience Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), even minor criticism can feel like a crushing blow.
RSD is an intense emotional response to perceived criticism or rejection. It’s common in neurodivergent individuals, especially those with ADHD or autism, but it can affect anyone who is deeply sensitive to how they are perceived. As a leader, this sensitivity can be both a strength and a source of burnout. Your deep empathy and high standards drive you to excel, but the fear of rejection can push you into overwork, emotional exhaustion, and self-doubt.
How RSD Fuels Your Burnout
If you struggle with RSD, leadership can feel emotionally exhausting in ways that others may not understand. You might:
- Take feedback personally, even when it’s constructive. A simple suggestion can feel like an attack, leading you to overcorrect, second-guess yourself, or avoid feedback altogether.
- Overextend yourself to avoid criticism. You say yes too often, take on too much, and push beyond your limits to stay in people’s good graces.
- Struggle with conflict. Giving difficult feedback, making unpopular decisions, or asserting yourself can trigger overwhelming distress.
- Ruminate on past interactions. A single moment of perceived rejection—an unanswered email, a colleague’s offhand remark—can replay in your mind for days, draining your focus and energy.
- Feel emotionally drained. The constant battle between wanting to lead effectively and fearing rejection leads to chronic stress and, eventually, burnout.
Why It’s Hard to Break the Cycle
You may already know that leadership requires setting boundaries, handling feedback, and making tough decisions. But knowing this doesn’t make it easier. You might find yourself trapped in a cycle where:
- You understand feedback isn’t personal, but it still feels that way.
- You know you need to set boundaries, but fear disappointing others.
- You realize you’re burning out, but don’t see a way to lead differently.
This kind of burnout isn’t just about working too much—it’s about the emotional toll of constantly managing your own reactions. And because you’re highly competent, no one sees the battle you’re fighting internally.
How Coaching Can Help You Navigate RSD and Burnout
You can’t eliminate RSD, but you can learn to manage it so that it no longer controls you. Coaching helps you develop awareness, tools, and strategies to navigate leadership in a way that feels more sustainable.
- Reframing feedback – You learn to recognize when you’re reacting to perceived rejection rather than actual criticism, shifting your perspective.
- Building emotional resilience – Instead of fearing every difficult conversation, you develop ways to tolerate discomfort without spiralling into self-doubt.
- Setting sustainable boundaries – Coaching helps you experiment with saying no and delegating without guilt.
- Identifying patterns – You start to see how often you overextend yourself out of fear of disapproval—and what to do about it.
- Developing coping strategies – Practical tools, like pausing before reacting to feedback or using objective reflection exercises, help you manage emotional triggers.
You don’t need to become immune to rejection to be a strong leader. The goal is to lead without fear of it. When you shift from reacting to responding, you regain control—not just of your leadership, but of your well-being.