I use this useful metaphor from my Navy Diving experience to describe the adverse behavioral effects and organizational impact of Leadership Narcosis.  Regardless of the term used to describe the current and future marketplace (e.g., turbulence, unrelenting change, uncertainty, organizational compression, etc.) the fact is that it is accelerating at an alarming pace.  Without the appropriate development and preparation, some leaders are starting to show signs and symptoms of Leadership Narcosis.  In diving, dangerous characteristics of nitrogen narcosis include the loss of decision-making ability, loss of focus, or impaired judgment.  In the more extreme cases, some divers demonstrate a sense of invulnerability, extreme anxiety or even depression.  Observation combined with research reflect an alarming trend of how narcosis is impacting the most senior C-level officers.  A recent study by Kaplan and Minton (2006) reported that only 24% of CEOs in place in 1998 remained CEO in 2003.  Executive Coaching is part of the solution.  However, in an effort to help prevent the occurrence of narcosis, many organizations are focusing on the development of strategic agility as a critical competency of leadership (e.g., Dell, ARAMARK, Genentech, Aflac and others).