Leadership isn’t just about performance. It’s about what happens behind the scenes. The pressure, the decision-making weight, and the personal challenges that come with leading at the highest level are rarely part of the conversation.

In a recent feature on the HR Leader Podcast, Richie Poulton, CEO of Instantia, offers a more candid perspective. Rather than focusing solely on business success, he reflects on the realities of leadership under pressure and the personal experiences that have shaped his approach.

Listen to the full episode here:

At its core, leadership pressure is constant. For CEOs and senior executives, decisions carry far-reaching consequences, not just for the organisation, but for employees, clients, and stakeholders. Over time, that responsibility compounds.

Richie speaks openly about burnout and the intensity of leading through it, highlighting a reality many leaders face but rarely articulate. The discussion reinforces the need for stronger top-down approaches to workplace wellbeing and leadership accountability.

This challenges the traditional view of leadership as purely strategic. While strategy matters, it’s self-awareness that ultimately sustains performance.

Recognising personal limits, understanding how pressure impacts decision-making, and knowing when to seek support are all essential to sustaining performance over time. Without this awareness, even experienced leaders risk becoming reactive or disconnected from both their teams and their broader objectives.

Richie also emphasises the importance of breaking the stigma around mental health in leadership. When leaders are willing to speak openly about their own challenges, it sets a precedent across the organisation.

It signals that resilience is not about enduring pressure in silence, but about managing it in a way that is sustainable and transparent. This shift is particularly relevant for HR leaders and executive teams, who play a key role in shaping workplace culture and supporting employee wellbeing.

Leadership extends beyond setting direction, it sets tone. The way leaders communicate, respond to pressure, and prioritise wellbeing has a direct impact on how teams operate. A resilient organisation is not built on strategy alone, but on behaviours that are consistently demonstrated from the top down.

This approach also aligns closely with the demands of complex business environments. In industries such as FX risk management, where uncertainty and volatility are constant, decision-making under pressure is unavoidable.

Clarity in these moments does not come from more information alone. It comes from disciplined thinking, structured approaches, and leaders who are able to remain composed despite external pressures.

Ultimately, Richie’s perspective reinforces a broader truth: leadership is not defined by control, but by response. It is in moments of uncertainty, pressure, and personal challenge that leadership is most visible. The ability to navigate these moments with clarity, self-awareness, and resilience is what differentiates effective leaders over the long term.

Because the real measure of leadership isn’t just what you achieve, it’s how you carry it. And carrying it well starts with knowing yourself, because better decisions don’t come from more data, they come from clarity under pressure.

Worth the listen if you're leading a team or business.

Explore how Instantia supports leaders navigating complex FX environments at https://www.instantia.co/