Corporate jargon has become so common that employees have started giving it a name: the corporate ick. Recent conversations across LinkedIn and other workplace communities suggest people aren't just rolling their eyes at buzzwords-they're tuning them out altogether.
Employees still care about paychecks, titles, and benefits-but increasingly, they're asking a bigger question: "Does this company actually make the world better-and do I feel good being part of it?"
Burnout means something different now, and while it doesn't affect your tires, it can affect nearly every part of your life and work. I want to talk about a very specific type of burnout that I think most people feel but may not realize it. It's initiative burnout.
Learn what's driving the urgent shift toward people-first leadership - and what executives must change in 2026 to retain trust, talent, and high performance.
Here are some questions you can use to help you think about your intention and goals for your questions. When those are clearer, you will ask better more effective questions – and most importantly, sometimes decide not to ask the question at all.
