The loneliness of leadership: silent vertigo

by Victoria Hingre – Founder Nova Talenta

I have accompanied so many leaders and decision-makers. I have launched initiatives to bring communities of independent professionals together. And now I am experiencing this loneliness of leadership first-hand. Because yes, questions and doubts are part of the process, part of the journey. And we must make room for these feelings. It is even beneficial because it encourages self-reflection, openness and the search for feedback. Yet it remains a persistent taboo: in our alpha society, we value initiative, success and vision... we talk less about the doubts and silent vertigo that sometimes accompany them.

When I launched Nova Talenta, I discovered this loneliness in a new way. You can be surrounded, supported and advised, but when it comes to making a structural decision, moving forward despite uncertainty, taking responsibility for a choice that no one else can make for you, you feel a very particular weight. The weight of ‘it's up to me to do it’. This brings unexpected emotions: doubt, fear of making the wrong decisions, the need to prove to yourself that you are capable, excitement mixed with vulnerability. It is a form of internal dialogue that is not easily shared, not out of modesty, but because you first have to admit it to yourself.

And yet it is precisely at these pivotal moments that we build the courage to move forward despite uncertainty, to clarify a decision that is far from comfortable, and to remain true to what we really want to build. These are also moments that require modesty and lucidity: we don't know everything, we do the best we can, we are still learning, at every stage. In short, the life of an entrepreneur.

The major challenge is to prevent this solitude from becoming a prison. The risk is to keep things inside, to no longer allow yourself to be challenged, to go round in circles. This is where your entourage becomes essential. Surround yourself, not to protect yourself, but to be forced to see things differently. Find peers who are capable of speaking truthfully. Accept that you need to ask for help. Leave room for constructive criticism.

The truth is that the loneliness of a leader never completely disappears, but more importantly, it can become a strength if it is recognised, accepted and transformed. Because it is also a space for personal growth: the place where clarity and alignment are forged. Because if you've taken the plunge, it's for solid reasons: to be aligned with your values in order to create your business and be truly happy at work.

So the question is not ‘how to avoid it?’ but rather ‘how to live with this isolation without losing yourself, and how to surround yourself with people so you don't get stuck there?’ That's also why I'm launching an initiative in the coming months, The Nova Leaders Club. It will bring together leaders who want to meet with their peers – stay tuned!

Victoria Hingre is the founder of Nova Talenta , a firm specializing in structuring and optimizing talent acquisition management. With over twenty years of experience in leadership consulting, executive search, and interim management, she supports executives, investors, and organizations in their human and organizational transformations. Her conviction: in a world dominated by technology, it is human ingenuity and sound judgment that create true, sustainable performance.

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