If HR is one of the most soul-crushing industries to work in, how come we’re not talking about it more? I Hate it Here is the unflinching podcast where People professionals to talk honestly and openly about HR, sharing best-in-class resources to make the hardest job in the world that little bit easier. Hosted by Hebba Youssef, Chief People Officer at Workweek and creator of the I Hate it Here podcast and newsletter, this show is for HR People who want to get things done right - even if they do feel a bit empty inside from time to time. You’ll hear from industry insiders, not just the same old voices, sharing all the things you’re secretly thinking but never said out loud, digging into real-life examples, and delivering practical solutions and strategies for your people team.
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If HR is one of the most soul-crushing industries to work in, how come we’re not talking about it more? I Hate it Here is the unflinching podcast where People professionals to talk honestly and openly about HR, sharing best-in-class resources to make the hardest job in the world that little bit easier. Hosted by Hebba Youssef, Chief People Officer at Workweek and creator of the I Hate it Here podcast and newsletter, this show is for HR People who want to get things done right - even if they do feel a bit empty inside from time to time. You’ll hear from industry insiders, not just the same old voices, sharing all the things you’re secretly thinking but never said out loud, digging into real-life examples, and delivering practical solutions and strategies for your people team.
S9 E5: No One Wants the Top Job Anymore with Ciara Lakhani
I Hate It Here
49 minutes
3 months ago
S9 E5: No One Wants the Top Job Anymore with Ciara Lakhani
Remember when getting the top job was THE dream?
Corner office, big paycheck, fancy title, and all the LinkedIn glory shots you could handle!
Yeah…now for a lot of folks, it feels more like winning a free trip to a haunted house.
In this episode, I had a fun but important chat with Ciara Lakhani to unpack why so many people are quietly saying, “Hard pass” to climbing the ladder.
We’re talking burnout, invisible costs, shifting definitions of success, and why ambition doesn’t have to mean signing up for 80-hour workweeks and emotional whiplash.
Newsflash: You can be wildly ambitious about your craft without ever wanting your boss’s job, and that’s not a failure, it’s a choice!
0:02:47 - One Hard Truth About Work
0:04:57 - Realizing Your Team Isn’t Interested in Climbing to the Top
0:08:06 - How the Idea of Success Has Shifted for This Generation of Workers
0:15:43 - Why Top Jobs Aren’t Appealing to Most People Anymore
0:18:06 - The US’s Perception of Work vs Other Countries
0:22:01 - What Does it Take to be a Great Leader Today?
0:27:51 - Why People Are More Reluctant to Take on Leadership Roles
0:22:01 - What Does it Take to be a Great Leader Today?
0:32:35 - The Invisible Cost of Leadership
0:37:17 - Is Opting Out of Leadership the Same as Lacking Drive?
0:40:21 - How Cutting Middle Management Impacts Leadership
0:41:55 - Getting More People Interested in Leadership
0:44:18 - Advice for Somebody Considering a Top Job, But Quietly Questioning It
Choosing the wrong HR platform is rife with regrets: losing a top performer, promoting the wrong person, or failing to engage your team when the business needs it most.
Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between investing in people programs and consolidating your tech stack. With Lattice, you can have both.
Visit lattice.com to learn more.
And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.
https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/
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Follow Ciara:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciaralakhani/
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef
I Hate It Here
If HR is one of the most soul-crushing industries to work in, how come we’re not talking about it more? I Hate it Here is the unflinching podcast where People professionals to talk honestly and openly about HR, sharing best-in-class resources to make the hardest job in the world that little bit easier. Hosted by Hebba Youssef, Chief People Officer at Workweek and creator of the I Hate it Here podcast and newsletter, this show is for HR People who want to get things done right - even if they do feel a bit empty inside from time to time. You’ll hear from industry insiders, not just the same old voices, sharing all the things you’re secretly thinking but never said out loud, digging into real-life examples, and delivering practical solutions and strategies for your people team.
