Executive Aging (EA) is the gradual decline of a business executive's ability to perform executive duties. The decline relates to tasks that were more easily performed when the executive (or similar executives) were younger.

• Lower energy and an inability to work with full vigor
• Inability to relate to and work with peers and subordinates, particularly those of a different generation
• Cognitive decline resulting in the loss of some or most ability to do executive-grade thinking
• Decline in physical appearance, causing the executive to appear less confident, professional, etc.
• Reduced desire to operate at peak performance, to win, and to lead
• Comfortable with status quo, less innovative, and waiting for retirement
• Shorter career duration forcing replacement at inopportune times
• Higher incidence of chronic disease, and need for increased healthcare

Executive Aging is not primarly caused by advancing chronological age. It is caused almost entirely by job related factors and lifestyle choices. Societal norms also play a role in the acceptability of Executive Aging.

• By 50 years of age, most executives have some symptoms of Executive Aging
• Because of biological and situational differences, EA symptoms may show up consistently or intermittently
• Inability of the executive to see their symptoms or regard them as "normal", delays action to address causes
• By 65 years of age, most executives have significantly diminished executive abilities and performance
• Denial or desire to retire means that most symptoms continue or get worse

No, Executive Aging is not a disease.

Executive Aging is "functional aging", not biological aging. An "Advanced Executive Age" generally means that an executive is less able to perform their executive duties.

In the early stages of an executive's career, they might not have any symptoms of executive aging. Over time, most executives tend to display more symptoms.

There are also solutions that may help executives "reverse" their functional executive age. Medical and non-medical providers are sometimes part of the solution.