# 638: How to Lead and Live with Less Stress and More Joy (with Former C-Suite Executive and Advisor to Fortune 100 Leaders, Amy Leneker)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-strategy-skills-podcast-strategy-leadership-critical-thinking-problem-solving-431195/638-how-to-lead-and-live-with-less-stress-and-more-joy-with-former-c-suite-executive-and-advisor-to-fortune-100-leaders-amy-leneker
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Podcast: [The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-strategy-skills-podcast-strategy-leadership-critical-thinking-problem-solving-431195)
Published: 2026-03-23T11:59:00+00:00
Episode link: https://strategyskills.libsyn.com/638-how-to-lead-and-live-with-less-stress-and-more-joy-with-former-c-suite-executive-and-advisor-to-fortune-100-leaders-amy-leneker
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Duration seconds: 2948

## Resource

Amy Leneker , a former C-suite executive and advisor to Fortune 100 leaders, examines a common assumption in corporate life: that stress is an unavoidable cost of success. She argues that this belief is flawed, noting that when leaders feel disconnected from their values and priorities, "it doesn't feel like you're succeeding." The discussion centers on how stress operates at three levels: individual, relational, and systemic, and why each requires a different response. At the individual level, Leneker highlights the role of unexamined "stress stories." These are internal narratives that shape behavior without conscious choice. By repeatedly asking "why," leaders can uncover these patterns and decide whether to continue operating from them or to choose a different approach. A second theme is the tendency to respond to pressure by increasing effort. Leneker cautions that working harder and faster under stress typically compounds the problem. More effective leaders "work differently," which may include delegation, redefining workloads, or aligning roles with realistic expectations. The conversation also addresses prioritization. Treating everything as urgent creates continuous pressure and reduces effectiveness. Leneker advises returning to the core purpose of the role and identifying a small number of priorities, while regularly reassessing them as conditions change. Without this discipline, priorities are set externally rather than intentionally. At the organizational level, Leneker emphasizes that systemic stress cannot be resolved by individual resilience alone. Issues such as inequity or poor leadership must be addressed at the system level. When they are not, organizations tend to lose high performers or retain disengaged employees who have effectively withdrawn fr…

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