How Senior Leaders Use PTO to Make Better Career Decisions
Executive Careers with Fexingo: VP, C-Suite, and Senior Leadership Career Strategy · 2026-06-02 · 9 min
Episode notes
Episode 27 of Executive Careers with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna explore an overlooked career strategy: how senior executives use their accrued paid time off not just to rest, but to make high-stakes career decisions. They break down the concept of 'decision leave' — taking two to four weeks of uninterrupted PTO specifically to evaluate a job offer, plan a pivot, or test a new industry. Lucas cites a Heidrick & Struggles study showing that 68% of C-suite executives who made a major career move regretted their decision within 12 months, and how a deliberate PTO pause could have changed those outcomes. Luna shares the story of a former chief marketing officer who used five weeks of accrued leave to shadow at a startup before quitting her Fortune 500 role. They discuss the psychological distance that real time off creates, the difference between vacation and decision leave, and why many senior leaders feel guilty about using their full PTO bank. Practical tips: how to frame the leave to your board or CEO, what to do during those weeks, and the red flags that emerge when you're not in the daily grind.