The Hard Truth About "People First" Culture (And Why I Stopped Believing It)

I wasn't planning to share this, but leadership is about transparency.

Last Tuesday, at 4:47 AM (yes, I track these moments), I was on my third espresso when it hit me: we've been thinking about talent all wrong.

For years, I bought into the "people first" narrative. Pizza Fridays. Mental health days. Asking about weekends. But then our burn rate spiked, and I had a moment of clarity.

What if empathy is the enemy of efficiency?

I thought to myself: the greatest CEOs don't get attached. They optimize. And optimization requires emotional distance.

Here's what I learned after a tough but necessary conversation with my leadership team:

Sentiment doesn't scale. Systems do.

• People want "meaning" in their work. I give them KPIs.
• They ask for "work-life balance." I offer ownership (of their outcomes).
• They crave "psychological safety." I provide accountability frameworks.

The result? Our velocity increased 34% in Q3. Alignment has never been higher. And yes—some chose to "pursue other opportunities." That's the market working.

If they only knew how much weight I carry making these decisions. How many sleepless nights. How lonely it is at the top, making the calls no one else has the resilience to make.

But here's the thing about long-term thinking: the mission is bigger than any individual.

I don't say this to be harsh. I say it because culture is what you do, not what you say. And I'd rather build a machine that survives me than a family that dies with my tenure.

Some leaders chase approval. Great leaders chase impact.

Leadership isn't for everyone.

Question for my network: When did you realize that being liked and being effective are two different things? Drop your thoughts below. 👇

#Leadership #GrowthMindset #CEOLife #HardConversations #CultureOfAccountability #MissionDriven