New Report: Leaders in Disguise – The Truth Behind the Mask
This week marks a major milestone for the Leaders in Disguise movement.
After a year of raw, honest conversations with business owners, founders and CEOs across the UK, we’re proud to release our first-ever in-depth research report.
Click to Download the Report
Why This Report Matters
For the past 12 months, we’ve heard from leaders who’ve achieved incredible success while silently battling stress, burnout, and mental health challenges. These weren’t one-offs. They were patterns.
So we went looking for data to back up what we were hearing.
In partnership with East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, we embedded four bespoke wellbeing questions into the Q1 2025 Quarterly Economic Survey, and 338 business leaders responded.
What we uncovered confirmed our fears:
Leadership wellbeing isn’t just overlooked. It’s in crisis.
Key Findings
- Only 26.92% of leaders feel very comfortable seeking mental health support
- 75% said mental health affects their decision-making, but only 4.76% treat it as a top priority
- Work-life balance (59.15%) and financial stress (53.35%) were the top reported challenges
- Nearly 1 in 5 leaders admitted to feeling isolated or lonely
This is no longer just about individual stories.
This is a systemic problem in how we support leadership in the UK.
What’s Inside the Report
- A breakdown of every survey question, with detailed insights
- Commentary and analysis from Gary Parsons
- Actionable recommendations for business, HR leaders and policymakers
- A powerful case study from Peter Marples – entrepreneur, former Derby County FC owner, and mental health advocate
📥 Download the Report Now – Leadership Wellbeing (May 2025)
Let’s Make Leadership Human Again
This isn’t about shame. It’s about honesty.
It’s time to take off the mask, and create a business culture where leaders are supported, not just celebrated. If you care about the future of work, you’ll want to read this report. And share it.
Because if leadership breaks down, everything does.
Gary Parsons
https://garyparsons.ukGary Parsons is a Leadership Speakerand Business Mentor on a mission to redefine success in leadership. Drawing on his powerful SELF Framework, Gary helps leaders prioritise their own wellbeing because when leaders thrive, their teams do too. Through his talks, workshops, and mentoring, he equips leaders to set boundaries, elevate wellbeing, and lead with intention - proving that Selfish Leadership isn’t a weakness, it’s a strategy for sustainable growth. Reach out to explore how Gary can help your leaders perform better by putting themselves first, strategically.