Leadership touches every organization, but we rarely pause to consider what it truly asks of those who lead. As expectations continue to rise and work becomes more complex, these questions feel increasingly urgent, especially at the Telfer School of Management, where the next generation of leaders is being shaped.
On May 5, the Telfer community gathered for the sixth edition of the Distinguished Speaker Series in Thriving Organizations and Societies. A total of 169 students, faculty, alumni, and professionals joined the hybrid event, all drawn by a shared curiosity: what does leadership really cost, and how can organizations do better?
That question came to life through Professor Julian Barling’s talk, The Organizational Origins of Leader Strain. Rather than focusing solely on performance, he invited the audience to see leadership as a lived experience shaped by pressure, expectations, and emotional strain.
This event was made possible through the support of Intact Financial Corporation, in partnership with the Telfer School of Management’s Triple I Laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility that supports advanced observational behavioural research.
An expert on leadership and workplace well-being
Julian Barling, Distinguished University Professor and Borden Chair of Leadership at Queen’s University, is widely recognized for his work on leadership and workplace well-being. With decades of research and several influential publications, including his latest book The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook for Leaders (2026), he brings both academic depth and practical insight to his work.
Jane O’Reilly, Ian Telfer Fellowship on Workplace Wellbeing and Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources, is a former student of Professor Barling’s. She introduced him by highlighting not only his academic impact but also his reputation as a generous and thoughtful mentor.
Rethinking what leadership demands
Right away, the conversation shifted away from ideals and toward reality.
As Professor Barling explained, today’s leaders face challenges with increasing visibility, responsibility, and emotional strain. While organizations continue to emphasize performance and resilience, far less attention is paid to the emotional and cognitive loads that leaders are carrying.
Professor Barling explored how organizational design shapes leaders’ well-being, decision-making, and ability to lead effectively, especially in a context influenced by AI, workplace stress, and ongoing uncertainty.
Rather than offering quick solutions, the session focused on the foundational changes necessary at the organizational level: to better educate, support, and validate leaders as they navigate growing demands.
Insights that stayed with the audience
Among the many insights and research findings shared during the event, several aspects of Professor Barling’s work sparked meaningful dialogue and questions from the audience.
Leaders’ mental health directly influences the quality of their decisions, while leadership roles themselves are becoming increasingly complex. The discussion reinforced a simple, yet powerful, idea: healthy organizations depend on healthy leaders.
Unfortunately, as Professor Barling’s research demonstrated, many leaders face enduring feelings of guilt, shame, anger and mistrust, particularly when they endure “moral injury” in the workplace. However, many are unwilling or unable to ask for help, in part due to concerns of being perceived as weak, vulnerable, unreliable or not “leader-like”.
Therefore, Professor Barling emphasized the importance of recognizing when leaders may need support. Signs such as withdrawal or changes in performance can indicate when someone is struggling, and early intervention can make a meaningful difference. He asked the audience to consider which consequence they would prefer to live with: intervening when it was perhaps unnecessary, or not intervening when it was, in fact, necessary.
At the heart of his message was a powerful reminder: struggling does not mean failing.
A broader reflection on how we lead
As the discussion unfolded, a broader message emerged: leadership is not just about capability, but preparation and support. Professor Barling noted that executive leadership is one of the few roles where individuals are often expected to lead without formal training, despite growing evidence that leadership development programs can be highly effective and scalable within organizations.
He also emphasized the importance of practical strategies to support leaders’ well-being, including bibliotherapy, the therapeutic use of reading to support mental health, emotional well-being, and personal growth. He also highlighted other evidence-based techniques that individuals can incorporate into their daily lives. To learn more about these approaches, readers can explore his latest book, The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook for Leaders: How Improving Your Mental Health Is Essential to Avoiding Burnout and Leading More Effectively.
In a world where change is constant, the need for well-trained, adaptive, and supported leaders has never been clearer.
Aligning with Telfer’s commitment to thriving organizations
This event reflects Telfer’s ongoing commitment to creating healthier and happier workplaces and more sustainable approaches to leadership. By focusing on the realities of leadership strain, the conversation reinforced a powerful idea: thriving organizations begin with people who feel supported, understood, and empowered to lead sustainably.
Continue exploring the series
Last year’s Distinguished Speaker Series welcomed Dr. Alicia Grandey for a powerful conversation on women’s experiences in the workplace, from emotional labor to menopause in professional settings: From faking smiles to navigating menopause: The hidden costs of being a woman at work.
