This study examined the relationship between occupational stress and leadership styles among 388 executives at a public sector organization in Tamil Nadu, India. Two assessment tools were used to measure occupational stress levels and leadership styles. Correlation analysis found that higher levels of occupational stress were positively correlated with coercive and authoritative leadership styles, but negatively correlated with affiliative, democratic, pace-setting, and coaching styles. Chi-square tests also confirmed an association between stress levels and leadership styles. The results suggest that occupational stress influences leadership style, making executives more likely to adopt coercive or authoritative styles and less likely to adopt collaborative styles when under higher stress.