The Joy-Driven Leader: Why Now More Than Ever, Leadership Requires Joy
- Dr. Sharla Horton
- Nov 17
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 19
Friends, I have good news and bad news. What do you want first? The bad news? Okay. Here you go: Leadership is at a breaking point.
The data says it plainly: 71% of executives report high stress, 56% of leaders hit burnout last year, and 43% of companies lost at least half of their leadership teams last year. Experienced leaders are actively considering stepping away from leadership roles altogether, and Gen Z is opting out of leadership before they even have a chance to begin. Companies are watching their leadership pipelines disappear right before their eyes with no plan or strategy to rebuild them. The crisis is loud, and it is real.
But here’s the truth underneath these statistics: People don’t necessarily want to stop leading. They want to stop suffering. They want to enjoy leadership. They want to thrive.
I facilitated The Joy-Driven Leader experience twice this month, and the energy in the room was the same both times: Leaders are working hard. They’re doing the work. They’re holding their teams together. They are showing up. What they’re missing is joy.
I said I had good news and bad news. I gave you the bad news. So here’s the good news: Joy is possible. Joy at work is possible. Joy in leadership is possible.
Now let me be clear: joy is not just “being happy at work.” It is so much more than that! It’s deeper than happiness and more substantial than liking work. In this week’s sessions, I asked participants to define joy, and here’s what I heard:
"Joy is peace."
"Joy is authenticity. Just being me."
"Joy is a sense of delight."
"Joy is beautiful." I love that one - Joy is beautiful.
And get this, for leaders…joy is a leadership strategy.
Joy truly is the difference maker. It is the thing that people feel when a leader walks into a room and everything in them says, “I want to follow that.”
But joy doesn’t just happen. It requires intention and effort. It takes time to cultivate. And when you’ve existed in chaos and conflict or when things have been challenging, joy can feel far off, and finding joy at work can feel like an impossible task.
Friend, hear me again: Joy is possible. Joy at work is possible. Joy in leadership is possible.
But I can hear you now. “Joy where?” “Joy how?”
Yes, I know, things are hard for many leaders right now. Really hard. This is not about toxic positivity, and joyful leaders are not naïve or disconnected from reality. They are simply driven by the internal than by the external. They know their Joy Drivers - their values, strengths, unique experiences, and passions - and they leverage them in their leadership. These are our internal anchors that keep a leader grounded no matter what’s happening around them.
But we also have to be aware of our Joy Drainers - external factors like chaos, isolation, exhaustion, conflict, toxic culture, people dynamics, overwhelming tasks, and just…life. Because no matter how much we lead from within, there’s always something, someone, somewhere lurking and ready to steal the joy we’ve worked so hard to find. Don’t let it happen!
Three things I need you to know about being a joy-driven leader:
Joy-driven leadership is a practice. It’s a discipline and a form of stewardship. Steward your joy, friend.
Joyful-driven leaders leave a joyful leadership legacy, and they intentionally build their legacy with every interaction. Build a strong legacy, friend.
Joy-driven leaders lead with joy, and they lead for joy. It’s not just about you; your joyful leadership is about those you lead. Lead with joy and lead for joy, friend.
A truth that we don't often think about: Everyone has a leadership legacy. Just like you remember leaders of your past - good and bad - someone somewhere remembers the leader you once were for them and those to come will remember you for the leaders you will be for them. So here’s the question I’ll leave you with, and it’s the same one I asked the leaders this week:
What will your leadership legacy be?
You get to decide your leadership legacy, and I hope you'll choose being a joyful leader. Why? Because you can. One last time, and I hope you really believe it by now: Joy is possible. Joy at work is possible. Joy in leadership is possible.
Be driven by joy.
You deserve it.
Your people deserve it.
And the future of leadership depends on it.
Consider The Joy-Driven Leader for your next conference, retreat, or corporate event!
Link to Two-pager
About the Session
In an era when traditional leadership approaches fall short, this engaging and interactive session reveals the powerful intersection of joyful leadership and organizational success. Discover how inspired leadership directly impacts several key outcomes—from employee retention to bottom-line growth. Moving beyond conventional leadership theory and antiquated approaches, The Joy-Driven Leader provides a clear framework for joyful leadership and actionable strategies to transform your leadership style from just effective to truly inspirational. Prepare to engage in a variety of thoughtful activities to identify powerful personal leadership attributes and learn how to use it all to create an environment where people excel, teams thrive, innovation flourishes, and results follow. You'll gain knowledge, strategies, practical tools, and the confidence to become the leader who not only drives performance but inspires lasting positive change in your organization.
From national conferences to organizational leadership institutes, this session is consistently highly rated with an overwhelming 4.8/5 star rating from audience members. Participants from a recent organization-wide leadership institute gave this feedback:
“Sharla is an amazing speaker and motivator!”
“Your joyful attitude was contagious!”
“I love the idea of having joy in everything we do. Thank you for this refreshing keynote and new outlook on leadership!”
When leaders lead with joy, the entire organization wins. Bring The Joy-Driven Leader to your next conference, retreat, or leadership institute and equip your people with a proven leadership framework that inspires and transforms.
Presentation type: Keynote address or featured conference breakout session
Delivery mode: In-person or virtual
Duration: 60, 90, or 120 minutes
Target Audience: Anyone in leadership
Industries: Nonprofit, corporate, education, healthcare, government
How to book: Book Dr. Sharla
About the Author
Dr. Sharla Horton is a dynamic thought leader, gifted speaker, and accomplished strategist whose work inspires hope, joy, and transformational change. As the founder of Lifted Consulting and Strategy, she helps mission-driven organizations improve performance and culture, guides ambitious and high-performing professionals to career advancement, and supports visionary, aspiring, and early-stage entrepreneurs in launching or relaunching impactful and profitable businesses.
Dr. Sharla is also co-founder of School Excellence Solutions, a nonprofit focused on improving PK-12 education through exemplary instruction, effective leadership, empowered students, engaged communities, and exceptional teams. Known for her authentic and approachable style, Dr. Sharla empowers individuals and organizations to 'dream big and do bigger,' turning their visions into reality with her strategic expertise, infectious energy, and boundless enthusiasm.
Comments