“I can't bear this bloody thing... every stinking time,” King Charles III uttered, frustrated at a fountain pen that leaked over his hands at a signing ceremony in Northern Ireland last week. His frustration betrayed him again when he signed the wrong date on another document, and earlier too, when a pen holder got in his way. Although known to be short-tempered, the new king’s recent outbursts — which extended to his aides and staff members — come in the wake of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II’s demise and his transition into the role of a monarch. While his irritable demeanour can be attributed to non-stop travelling, constant public attention, grief, the lack of time to deal with it, along with the pressure of stepping into his mother’s shoes, such behaviour,  in the corporate world, can land new leaders in hot water.

Sheetal Nimbalkar, a counseling psychologist, highlights that transitioning into a high-profile role can be challenging by itself, without the addition of personal struggles. One of the many crises outlined in the new king’s case includes dealing with a cognitive shift  in tackling new responsibilities and the spotlight that follows a high-stake role.