I Hate It Here S9 E5: No One Wants the Top Job Anymore with Ciara Lakhani
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Aug 18, 2025 Ciara Lakhani, the Group Chief People and Culture Officer at Element Logic, shares her insights on the evolving workplace mentality. She highlights why many people now shy away from traditional leadership roles, emphasizing burnout and shifting definitions of success. Ciara discusses how ambition doesn't have to equate to long hours or high-stress positions. With fresh perspectives on work identity and leadership, she encourages a more fulfilling approach to career aspirations, advocating for those who prefer to focus on craft over climbing corporate ladders.
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Executive Dream Is Losing Its Shine
- Many people now view the corner-office dream as a cautionary tale rather than a goal.
- Burnout and invisible leadership costs make top roles less attractive than before.
Use Stay Interviews To Retain People
- Run structured stay interviews to learn real retention drivers beyond pay.
- Use those findings to change what truly retains people, like resolving blockers and frustrations.
From Panic To Empathy On Succession
- Ciara noticed the trend when multiple people across companies refused promotions.
- Her first reaction was panic about succession planning, then empathy for their reasons.
