Every week I speak to leaders who are dealing with restructures, budget cuts, or yet another round of uncertainty. The headlines make it sound like the economy is the sole problem.
But inside those companies, something else is happening. Something far more human.
People aren’t confused about the market. They’re confused about their leaders.
The gap between what leaders think they’ve communicated and what employees believe is happening is wider than I’ve seen in years. And that gap is showing up in morale, retention, and the day-to-day friction sitting inside UK organisations.
This is the pattern that comes up in almost every leadership conversation I have right now.
People are not asking for perfection from their leaders. They’re not asking to be involved in every conversation either.
Their key ask is simple: they want leaders who show their thinking early, speak plainly, and stay visible when things get tough. That’s it. The old top-down style of leadership where decisions were made in a room and announced weeks later, just doesn’t work anymore.
The leaders who are thriving are the ones who engage openly, even when they don’t have all the answers.
Visibility isn’t noise. It’s stability.
Whenever I’m working with senior teams, there’s often a moment where someone says, “Young people don’t want to work the way we did.”
But when you actually speak to younger employees, that’s not what’s going on at all.
Many of them entered the workforce during COVID. They’ve only ever known remote-first, open-access communication. They’re not resisting work. They’re challenging outdated habits that don’t serve anyone anymore.
And honestly, they’re right to question them.
Some of the most innovative thinking I see comes from multigenerational teams who actually listen to each other. Reverse mentoring isn’t a gimmick. It’s one of the fastest ways leaders get better.
Another pattern I see constantly: People quietly taking on too much because they don’t want to be a burden.
“I’ll just do it.”
“I’ll sort it.”
“It’s quicker if I handle it myself.”
I understand the intent. It usually comes from wanting to protect the team or keep things moving. But the impact can be damaging. When someone stops speaking up — or stops asking for support — the message to the team becomes:
“My contribution doesn’t matter.”
“My voice won’t change anything.”
“I’m here to deliver, not be heard.”
That’s when burnout takes hold. Not because of workload alone, but because people feel invisible. They want to be valued, not just useful.
And that isn’t a generational issue. I’ve seen younger staff burn out faster than seasoned leaders, and vice versa. This is about communication, boundaries, and emotional connection to the work.
A lot of organisations talk about diversity, and some even set targets. But representation means very little if the environment underneath it isn’t psychologically safe.
Age, culture, gender, neurodiversity, these differences only create value when people feel able to share their perspective without fear of being dismissed.
The companies moving forward are the ones building real psychological safety. They encourage questions. They welcome challenge. They don’t expect people to “fit in”; they want people to contribute.
That’s the point of diversity.
Not the box tick, the conversation it creates.
Nothing dramatic. Just things that require more openness than leaders were ever taught to show.
Be present.
Be visible.
Be curious.
Real communication isn’t about having a definitive answer for everything. It’s about letting people see that you are thinking, listening, and willing to engage.
When leaders step into that space, trust builds quickly. When they don’t, people fill the silence with their own assumptions.
I’ve had a long career in corporate environments, some brilliant experiences, some incredibly tough ones. The turning point for me wasn’t a promotion or a title. It was the moment I realised I was better when I stopped performing versions of myself.
When someone gave me permission to be Suzie.
Not “Suzie the leader.”
Not “Suzie the salesperson.”
Just Suzie.
That’s why Libby and I built The Leadership Visibility Co. Because I know how it feels to shrink yourself in a room, and I know how transformative it is when someone finally says, “You’re allowed to show up as you.”
Leadership visibility isn’t about being loud. It’s about being human.
And the new generation entering the workforce? They’re not the reason leadership is breaking. They’re the reason it’s evolving.