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The biggest threat to your career isn’t a bad boss, a missed opportunity, or even AI—but your home office. Today, there’s no escaping the remote work. Now that we’ve gone all virtual, it’s easy to believe that flexibility is the future. But according to David Sable, Vice Chairman at Stagwell and former CEO of Young & Rubicam, that mindset might be quietly killing your potential.
Remote work may feel productive and convenient, but when it comes to learning, mentorship, and building the kind of relationships that define great careers, it’s no match for showing up in person.
In this episode of Future Ready Leadership, David delivers a reality check for both employees and executives, arguing that the long-term cost of working from home is steeper than most realize. From leadership blind spots to generational gaps, we dig into what’s really at stake when people stop coming to the office.
Listen to the episode here on Apple Podcast & leave a review!
Why Productivity Doesn’t Equal Progress
One of the big myths about remote work is that it’s more productive. And on the surface, it can be. You might crank out more emails, get more tasks checked off, or, as David points out, write more lines of code. But that’s not the same thing as progress.
David references a Microsoft study that compared remote programmers to those working in the office. The remote team produced more code, but the office-based team produced more products. There’s a difference between being busy and being impactful. Innovation, iteration, and collaboration don’t show up in your time tracker, but they’re what move businesses forward. And those things happen best when people are together.
Culture and Serendipity Still Matter
You’ve heard the phrase “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Well, it turns out culture also struggles to survive on Zoom.
David makes it clear that office culture isn’t built through company handbooks or digital check-ins—it’s built through proximity. The hallway conversations. The spontaneous feedback. The quick aside after a meeting that turns into a breakthrough idea. These may be small moments, but they’re the ones that create connection, trust, and innovation.
Remote work doesn’t eliminate culture, but it dilutes it. And that’s a problem for any organization that wants to attract and grow leaders.
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HR just changed for good with the introduction of Human Intelligence™.
By combining AI and the uniquely authentic data of Workhuman’s #1 rated employee recognition platform, Human Intelligence reveals previously unobtainable insights into skills, performance, culture and more. Human Intelligence also helps coach employees on what good peer-to-peer recognition looks like, turning every “good job” into better engagement, retention, and wellbeing. And it helps surface feel-good stories that illustrate the best of your company culture.
Want to learn more? Human Intelligence at Workhuman.com, and join their force for good.
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Stop Trying to Justify Leadership
There’s also a growing narrative that employees are in the driver’s seat now—that companies need to justify every decision to their people. And David isn’t having it.
He calls it out for what it is: backward. “Employment is a pact,” he says. You agree to work for a company under certain conditions. If you don’t like those conditions, you’re free to leave. But don’t expect leaders to run a company by committee.
This is where a lot of CEOs went wrong during the pandemic. They promised permanent flexibility before knowing what the long-term impact would be. Now, they’re trying to backpedal. David’s advice is to lead with clarity, not apology. Culture isn’t something you owe. It’s something you build, and sometimes that means making tough calls.
Redefining Work-Life Balance
David also challenges how we define balance. He introduces something he calls “Sable Math”—the idea that balance isn’t about slicing your time into rigid percentages but about being 100% present in whatever you’re doing.
Whether you’re with your team, your family, or just walking the dog, be all in. True balance isn’t about working less—it’s about living more intentionally in every aspect of your life.
Listen to the episode here on Apple Podcast & leave a review!
Why This Matters Even More for the Next Generation
The most concerning thing that we’re not talking about enough is that remote work is affecting the next generation of leaders. Studies are already showing that Gen Z struggles with resilience, communication, and collaboration. David argues that avoiding the office is only making that worse.
You don’t build leadership skills in isolation. You build them by observing others, getting feedback, being challenged, and watching how experienced professionals navigate complex situations. That’s hard to replicate from your living room.
His message to young professionals is simple: show up. If you want mentorship, if you want growth, if you want a future in leadership, being in the room still matters.
Final Thoughts
I’ve spoken to a lot of leaders over the years, and David’s take is one of the boldest and most direct I’ve heard on this topic. You may not agree with every word, but you can’t ignore the truth in what he’s saying.
If you’re a leader trying to make sense of hybrid work, if you’re an employee trying to grow your career, or if you’re just trying to figure out what kind of work environment actually helps people thrive—this episode is for you.
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HR just changed for good with the introduction of Human Intelligence™.
By combining AI and the uniquely authentic data of Workhuman’s #1 rated employee recognition platform, Human Intelligence reveals previously unobtainable insights into skills, performance, culture and more. Human Intelligence also helps coach employees on what good peer-to-peer recognition looks like, turning every “good job” into better engagement, retention, and wellbeing. And it helps surface feel-good stories that illustrate the best of your company culture.
Want to learn more? Human Intelligence at Workhuman.com, and join their force for good.
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Listen to the full episode of Future Ready Leadership featuring David Sable and hear why showing up just might be the best career move you can make today.