It’s the most common icebreaker in American culture, and it says more about us than we realize.
In this week’s edition of This Week in Culture, I’m unpacking how work became shorthand for identity, why leaders spend so much energy trying to “work” people, and what actually changes when organizations stop optimizing for output and start aligning work with who people are.
There’s a meaningful difference between a working person and a person working. That difference determines whether leaders rely on control or earn commitment, and whether results plateau or compound.
“What do you do?”
It’s the most common icebreaker in American culture, and it says more about us than we realize.
In this week’s edition of This Week in Culture, I’m unpacking how work became shorthand for identity, why leaders spend so much energy trying to “work” people, and what actually changes when organizations stop optimizing for output and start aligning work with who people are.
There’s a meaningful difference between a working person and a person working. That difference determines whether leaders rely on control or earn commitment, and whether results plateau or compound.