Category: Legacy Orgs
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Challenging the Dehumanizing Language of Corporate Workplaces
“We need to leverage our human capital more effectively.” This is the kind of phrase that gets thrown around in corporate meetings all the time. It sounds professional and strategic, like the way leaders are supposed to talk about getting more from their teams. But listen to it again. Leverage our human capital. We’re talking…
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Why Good Leaders Unknowingly Create Toxic Workplaces
A recent Monster survey revealed that 80 percent of American workers now describe their work environments as toxic workplaces, up from 67 percent just a year ago. Even more alarming, 93 percent say their employers aren’t supporting their mental health needs, and more than half would consider quitting over workplace toxicity. These numbers are staggering.…
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Employee Engagement Decline: The Alarm’s Been Going Off for Years
Last week, Gallup released its annual report on employee engagement, and the findings are hard to ignore. Employee engagement in the U.S. has dropped to its lowest level in a decade, with only 31% of employees engaged and 17% actively disengaged. This continues a troubling downward trend over the past few years and highlights the…
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A Startup Scaling Crossroad: Self-Management vs. Hierarchy
Startups are exciting, fast-paced environments where people wear multiple hats, collaborate at high speed and work closely together to bring a vision to life. But there’s a pivotal moment—right after launching a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)—when things begin to change. You need to grow, scale, and bring more structure to how work gets done without…
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Choosing Trust: Seven Practices to Overcome Workplace Politics
In any workplace, the choice between engaging in politics or building trust is ever-present. It’s a choice that can define not just your career but the overall health of the work environment. While workplace politics might seem like an inevitable aspect of professional life, it’s important to recognize that this is not the only option.…
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Purpose-Driven Organizations: Aligning Mission with Daily Operations
In today’s rapidly changing business environment, high-impact organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of being driven by a sense of purpose. A purpose-driven organization is one that aligns its core mission and long-term vision with its daily operations, ensuring that every action taken contributes to the broader goals and values of the company. All too…
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Five Ways Hierarchies Breed Toxicity—and How Self-Management Can Fix It
Organizational hierarchies, despite their long-standing prevalence in the business world, often create environments ripe for toxic behaviors and cultures. These traditional structures, characterized by clear lines of authority and a top-down approach to management, can inadvertently foster issues that hinder productivity, innovation, and employee satisfaction. Here are five ways that I have seen hierarchies contribute…