Send us Fan Mail

Leaders are keeping the perks and dropping the protection, and their people have noticed. In one 2026 survey, 80% of workers said they rarely or never trust leaders to put employees ahead of profit.

In this one I go back to the campfire with Simon Sinek's Leaders Eat Last to ask what leadership is for. For most of human history the deal was simple. The leader got the best spot by the fire, and when danger showed up, the leader stepped forward first. Today Gallup says 51% of U.S. employees are looking or watching for openings elsewhere, while layoffs and CEO pay both went up in 2025. I am tough on leaders here, because to whom much is given, much is expected. I am also fair to employees, because trust runs both ways. If you lead people, this is the foundation for the two culture episodes coming next. If you want the corner office, take the first punch.

In this episode:
• The campfire deal: perks in exchange for protection
• Takagi, Ellis, and Sergeant Powell as a Die Hard leadership case study
• Four ways leaders lose trust, including layoffs nobody explains and the silence that rumors fill
• What good looks like, with habits any leader can start this week
• The Ellis or Takagi game and a five question leadership trust check
• The employee side of trust, plus one challenge for leaders and one for employees

Follow or subscribe to My Friend in HR so the culture episodes land in your feed. Get the newsletter at https://mfihr.com/newsletter.html. And connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/njsanecourtney and tell me which leader you would have followed.

Your job is meant to support your life. Your life is not meant to support your job.

Support the show

Visit: MFIHR.com

Instagram: myfriendin_hr
LinkedIn: Njsane Courtney
Email: myfriendinhr@gmail.com