Without shared goals, clarity and psychological safety, feedback becomes noise, not development. The conversation moves into boundaries and burnout, as they challenge the workplace obsession with “firefighting” leadership and explore what sustainable leadership really looks like. And in a more unsettling twist, they react to research suggesting AI tools could infer personality — and influence hiring — simply from a profile photo.
The episode wraps with reflective freakouts: celebrating wins, questioning industry negativity, and calling for more joy in comms.
Purpose at work: engagement rocket fuel that most people never get
https://news.gallup.com/poll/697403/purposeful-work-boosts-engagement-few-experience.aspx
“Nobody needs feedback” – Kate O’Neil’s shared-context grenade
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/oneilkate_unpopular-opinion-nobody-needs-feedback-activity-7393707311929872384-FmTI
Mita Mallick: not every fire is yours to fight
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mita-mallick-2b165822_leadership-culture-mitamallick-activity-7395087477239132160-OcCp
Hiring by face: AI, personality and the new bias minefield
https://www.economist.com/business/2025/11/06/should-facial-analysis-help-determine-whom-companies-hire?giftId=ZTg1M2ZmMTYtY2VkMy00OGE5LTlkYzUtMTU5NjhhNTQwMmM3&utm_campaign=gifted_article