 |
|
|
|||||
Casually mentioning canceling a doctors appointment or skipping something personal to take on more work has become the new humblebrag. Its rarely treated as a big deal, and often, its delivered with self-deprecating pride: Oh, Ill just cancel my doctors appointment to crank this out, or I was up until midnight finishing that deck. These arent just updates, but quiet auditions for Most Dedicated Employee. Many of us hear those lines, or say them ourselves, and think, Wow, thats commitment. But what were really doing is reinforcing workplace culture that rewards exhaustion instead of impact. Too often, self-sacrifice is confused with value, and that mindset is burning people out. The result is burnout factories dressed up as high-performance cultures. And this isnt just anecdotal. According to Gallups 2023 State of the Global Workplace report, nearly 60% of employees report feeling emotionally detached at work, and nearly 1 in 5 say theyre miserable. Thats not high performance, its slow, silent collapse. If you want to show up with focus, creativity, and resilience (at work and in life) it starts by putting down the invisible sword too many of us keep falling on. Heres what that looks like in practice: 1. Stop glorifying sacrifice Weve been conditioned to admire the person who pushes through, the one who skips lunch, works late, or shows up sick. Weve equated overextension with excellence and decided that making ourselves perpetually available signals dedication and makes us irreplaceable. But this constant grind isnt sustainable, and not to be a bubble buster, but it also doesnt guarantee job security. It does, however, guarantee exhaustion. In a culture of depletion dressed up as drive, the truth no one wants to say out loud is that just because someones willing to sacrifice everything for work doesnt mean they should be expected to, or applauded for it. What You Can Do: Celebrate boundaries out loud. Tell your team when youre logging off, and why. Compliment coworkers who prioritize recovery. Make self-preservation visible, respected, and routine. Someone who takes one for the team isnt always the hero, and we need to stop making them out to be. Most importantly, we need to stop reinforcing bad behavior. 2. Redefine loyalty Too many of us equate loyalty with self-abandonment. We mistake constantly being on for being dependable. But true loyalty isnt about erasing yourself but about showing up consistently and sustainably. Loyalty to your job shouldnt come at the expense of loyalty to your body, your family, your health, or your own values. The people who build long, meaningful careers arent the ones sprinting from sacrifice to sacrifice. Theyre the ones who understand how to pace themselves and advocate for what they need. What You Can Do: Before saying yes to adding more to your work plate, ask yourself: Does this align with my actual priorities and capacity? Because, it is possible to be deeply committed to your work without constantly proving your worth through overextension. 3. Question urgency culture So many fire drills at work are just . . . smoke. Tasks labeled urgent are often driven by someone elses disorganization, perfectionism, or anxiety, not an actual need. When everything is urgent, nothing truly is. Urgency culture thrives in environments where people are afraid to slow down or challenge assumptions. But what if part of being a great teammate wasnt speed, it was discernment? What You Can Do: Practice pausing to ask: Whats the real deadline here? Whats the consequence if it moves? Normalize not taking ASAP at face value. Sometimes urgency is warranted. Often, its just a default setting weve forgotten how to question. 4. Trade perfectionism for progress As a recovering perfectionist, I can attest to the fact that perfectionism is sneaky. It masquerades as diligence and high standards but more often than not, its actually fear in a super sharp blazer. Fear of judgment, failure, or not being good enough. In high-pressure work cultures, perfectionism isnt just tolerated, its celebrated. But if youre spending hours tweaking slide formatting or rewriting a perfectly clear email for the fourth time, maybe its time you ask yourself who youre really trying to protect. Perfection rarely drives impact, but it always drains energy. What You Can Do: Pick one thing this week to do at 85%. Then walk away. The deck doesnt need one more alignment check. The email is fine as is. Let good enough be good, and reclaim that energy for something else. 5. Be the example, not the exception Its easy to think change starts at the top. But culture isnt just set by leadership, its shaped by what we tolerate, model, and reinforce at every level. If youre tired of performative burnout, you cant just opt out silently. You have to opt-in to something different. Culture shifts through visible choices. Through the senior leader who leaves loudly at 5 p.m. to the teammate who says, Im not available tonight, but I can jump in first thing tomorrow, all the way to the employee who takes a mental health day without apology. What You Can Do: Audit your behavior. Are you constantly over-delivering? Do you reward fire drills and penalize slow, thoughtful work? Start showing people what sustainable excellence looks like. Bottom line: You dont need a policy change to be a culture shifter. The workplace is changing in slow but meaningful ways. And, these changes dont just happen because HR rolls out a new initiative, but when enough people, at every level, stop performing exhaustion as proof of commitment. So next time that reflex kicks in, the one that tells you to push through, to cancel something personal, to over-deliver just to be seen, pause. Ask yourself: Is this really necessary? You shouldnt have to earn your worth through burnout, and youre allowed to take care of yourself and still be exceptional. In fact, that might be the most powerful thing you can do.
Category:
E-Commerce
In an era where consumers are flooded with choices and noise, the most enduring brands aren’t just the ones with the best features, they’re the ones that make people feel seen. That philosophy guides us at Michael Graves Design, as we believe that great design begins with listening. Our products, from the iconic Alessi teakettle to our Quick Fold cane, are never created in isolation. They emerge from stories: personal, emotional, and deeply human. This commitment to storytelling isnt just a marketing strategy; its a design principle, one that bridges purposeful delight to create pioneering products. We rely on our “Design With” process that embodies collaboration. Instead of designing for users, we design with them. This approach involves ethnographic research, empathy-based brainstorming sessions, and consumer preference testing, which provides us direct engagement with our community. By involving a diverse pool of users, we ensure that our products resonate on a personal level with a broad audience. This collaborative storytelling helps us uncover product opportunity gaps and ensures that our designs reflect real experiences and needs. Designs rooted in story Take our Whistling Bird Teakettle for Alessi. Beyond its functional design, with a shape that makes water boil faster, the kettle uses color to tell a purposeful story of hot and cold, and a story of morning rituals of waking up to the sound of birds chirping. This narrative transforms a simple kitchen appliance into an experience, making daily routines delightful. Likewise, our canes are designed not just for support, but to empower. Typical canes seem institutional, carry stigma, and remind users of their limitations. Our designs incorporate vibrant colors and ergonomic features, turning them into symbols of independence and style. Design transforms them from needed medical devices into desired consumer products. Its the straightforward difference between focusing on the negative and focusing on the positive. 3 lessons for entrepreneurs and brands At Michael Graves Design, we live these lessons daily, not just as best practices, but as core beliefs. These three underlying principles are adaptable across industries and team sizes. Whether youre launching a new product or building a brand from scratch, these are three powerful ways to bring people into your process and create meaningful offerings. 1. Engage your community Involving your customers early in the product development process opens a feedback loop that strengthens both the product and the relationship. At MGD, we regularly incorporate community voices through ethnographic visits and ideation sessions. Other companies can do this too by building small advisory panels, running beta programs, or simply inviting feedback and listening actively. Cocreation not only improves the end result, but it also turns customers into brand advocates. 2. Design with empathy Real empathy fuels innovation. Understand how people live, struggle, and express themselves, then design from that insight. Its the best way to increase the chances that new products will resonate with consumers and sell really well. Conduct consumer preference testing sessions where consumers can interact with works-like prototypes. This invaluable feedback informed all final design refinements and assortment selection for our recent Pottery Barn collection. 3. Lead with story, not specs At MGD, every product is anchored in a storynot invented after the fact, but woven into the design process from the beginning. Specs matter, but emotional connection drives decisions. Other companies can tap into this by asking: What does this product represent to the people who use it? How do we know? Build your marketing around those stories, and youll move from selling features to creating emotional resonance. Community storytelling with real impact This storytelling approach extends from the product design process into marketing. Our email newsletter, Monthly Delights, captures the essence of how storytelling becomes a powerful marketing force, not through sales language, but through the lived experiences of our consumers and influences. A few examples: Lanes: Personal style meets mobility support Delaney (Lanes), a vibrant college senior navigating life in New York City, began using a cane during a chronic illness flare-up. Tired of dull, clinical designs, she discovered the C-Grip cane in sage green and finally found a mobility aid that matched her personality. This is the most comfortable cane handle Ive ever used, she shared. It was nice to pick a cane that felt like me. Her story reinforces how design that honors individuality can turn a necessity into a point of pride. Greg: Design that elevates communities Greg, founder of Little Deeds, helps make homes safer for older adults and people with disabilities. He discovered our products at a CVS and was struck by how they elevated both form and function. As someone who advocates for universal design, Greg appreciated how thoughtful details, like intuitive touch points and sophisticated styling, help dissolve stigma and spark joy. Design like this causes us to pause for a second and think about what exactly brought that sudden sense of joy, he said. Lindsey: Turning diagnosis into artistic empowerment Lindsey, a mixed-media artist living with multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, channels her journey into creativity. She paints vibrant abstractions of brain MRI scans, including hundreds for others living with chronic illness. When she found our red sunbaked-clay C-Grip cane, it wasnt just a mobility tool, it became a part of her expressive identity. Its stylish, supportive, and makes even a rough day feel a bit more put together, she explained. At MGD, storytelling isnt a tool we add later, its embedded from the very beginning. Listening to and telling stories helps us stay curious, unleashes our creativity, and most importantly, keeps us connected with our consumers. For brands looking to stand out, the lesson is simple: Build with people, not for them, and the story telling opportunities will follow. Ben Wintner is CEO of Michael Graves Design.
Category:
E-Commerce
When I became a first-time mom, my perspective on the products my family used changed completely. As a data scientist, I naturally dive deep into the details; now I was suddenly applying this rigor to ingredient and product information, turning every label into an obsessive data research project. This journey opened my eyes to a startling reality: Not all products are created equal, and there’s a profound gap between the trust we place in brands and the reality of whats inside their products. My personal experience mirrors a crisis facing the entire retail industry. Widespread misleading claims have eroded consumer trust, with skepticism reaching an all-time high. According to Novis data, up to 50% of products feature a false claim; and a staggering number of consumers would stop buying from a brand completely if they discovered one. This crisis of confidence, however, presents an opportunity to build a new infrastructure for commerce itself. One where the burden of proof shifts from the consumer to the retailer, and verifiable truth becomes a brand’s most valuable asset. By addressing the key ways they are breaking trust, retailers can fix the cracks in the system, rebuild consumer confidence, and unlock substantial avenues for growth. Here are five of the most common ways I see brands and retailers breaking consumer trust, and how to rebuild it. 1. They allow misleading and unsubstantiated claims The proliferation of false or unsubstantiated claims by brands has become a significant issue. Terms like “net zero,” “vegan,” or “nontoxic” are often used inaccurately. In the U.S., a comparative lack of stringent regulation has allowed this to become rampant. By allowing these products on their shelves, retailers effectively endorse these unverified claims, damaging their own credibility and forcing consumers to become skeptics to protect their families. Retailers can remedy this by implementing robust, automated verification systems. Since regulation is lacking, the burden of proof is now on the retailer. Technology can transform this challenge into a competitive advantage by efficiently identifying and promoting products with verified attributes. My company Novi provides a platform that enables retailers like Sephora, Ulta, and Target to credibly verify claims, in some cases leading to sales increases of up to 15% in their values-based programs. 2. They rely on brand storytelling instead of proof Pioneering brands like Patagonia and Seventh Generation built trust through compelling narratives and a direct connection with consumers. But as values-based shopping has gone mainstream, consumers are no longer satisfied with a good story; they demand third-party validation. Brands that fail to adapt to this shift from storytelling to verification risk being left behind. Data analytics can clearly illustrate the tangible business benefits of robust values-based programs, incentivizing brands to invest in verification. For instance, Amazon reported a 10% increase in page views and a 12% rise in sales for products featuring values-based badges. Products with multiple verified claims grew almost three times more quickly than other products. Presenting this data-backed ROI is vital for encouraging brand participation. 3. They present inconsistent information across channels Brands sometimes present conflicting information across different retailers. A product might qualify for Ulta’s Conscious Beauty program but fail to meet the standards for Sephora Clean, for example. Since modern consumers research and shop across multiple platforms, these inconsistencies undermine brand authenticity and consumer trust. Values-based initiatives are, at their core, data projects. Retailers must integrate technology from the outset to manage and disseminate this data across all consumer touchpoints. This requires IT teams to adeptly use data to inform every stage of the customer journey, from initial product search to final validation, ensuring a consistent and trustworthy omnichannel experience. 4. They guess which values matter to their customers Without data, retailers often take a generic approach to their values-based programs, failing to connect with what truly motivates their specific customers, who often have a diverse set of needs. This leads to underperforming programs that don’t resonate. Retailers must go the extra mile to understand their audience deeply. Analyzing consumer search patterns and filter usage can reveal which values are most important and use these insights to shape your strategy. Data also reveals that different values matter in different categories; ingredient transparency is often most important in beauty, while sustainable packaging may be more critical in household goods. 5. They fail to make information accessible At the heart of the trust issue is a lack of transparency. When information about how a product was made is hard to find or difficult to understand, shoppers become more skeptical of all claims. This information asymmetry puts the consumer at a disadvantage and breeds distrust. The fundamental solution lies in making information about how a product was made transparent and easily accessible for shoppers. This democratization of data empowers both consumers and brands to make more informed and better decisions, ultimately building trust. When retailers consistently deliver products with verified claims, they foster deeper customer engagement, see improved sales conversion rates, and cultivate stronger brand loyalty. By shifting from ambiguous claims to a foundation of verifiable data, retailers will not only rebuild consumer trust, but also unlock new, sustainable streams of revenue. The retailers and brands that thrive will be those who recognize that their greatest product is not what they sell, but the trust they can prove. Kimberly Shenk is cofounder and CEO of Novi.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||