Finding the Solution

As the C.E.O. or Board of an organization with a senior colleague or employee who is struggling with alcohol and or drug abuse, you face a unique dilemma.

Addiction in the workplace negatively affects productivity, performance, morale and ultimately the bottom line. It also often leaves you open to legal liability issues.

What you can do to solve this problem effectively and for the long term is move quickly to address the crisis that’s arisen. This individual is highly valued for his or her knowledge, experience and past contributions, but their addiction is affecting the viability of your company.

CEOs and executives can avoid many of the damaging consequences of their alcoholic or dependent behaviors. Money, status, influence and the ability to manipulate others can mask many developing issues before they become problems, compounding the denial of the individual.

In cases like these, it’s understandable that the course of action is often to continue to turn a blind eye, or “have a quiet word”, in the hope that the situation will resolve itself.

The reality however, is that if that person has already crossed the invisible line from abuse to dependence, if ignored, the situation will only worsen. You run the risk of not only losing a once valued employee, but potentially the clients and income they’re responsible for.

The facts speak for themselves. One in ten employees has a drinking problem; a third of those also use illegal drugs. It’s their problem, but it’s your organization.

The Solution


Executive Intervention is a structured and closely managed process, effectively intervening on the addiction, and creating carefully managed consequences that the Executive has been able to avoid because of their position within the company.

Denial is one of the primary symptoms of addiction. It’s a sincere delusion not a conscious manipulation of the facts.

Unless the addicted person faces has to face the very real consequences of their addictive behavior, then denial can’t be broken and they won’t accept help or see the need for it.