My New Year’s resolution is to raise the stakes 

For the past year, I’ve been wrestling with a nagging feeling that the stakes in my life aren’t high enough. It’s not that things are bad. They’re not. In many ways, life and work are going well. But there’s a part of me that feels like I’m not risking enough or striving for something truly bold—something that demands sacrifice and commitment. 

This realization has led to my New Year’s resolution: to raise the stakes. Not just in my work, but in my life. Because when the stakes are high, you’re all in. You care deeply. You push harder. You grow. 

I’ve taken stock of where my stakes are pretty high: with my daughter, in my volunteer work at UC Davis in the No One Dies Alone program, in my service to people in recovery, and in my keynotes—I spoke to 15,000 people last year… but in reflection, it still just doesn’t feel like the stakes are high enough. 

So, let me ask you: Are your stakes high enough? 

In leadership, it’s easy to point to profits as high-stakes goals. And sure, they are. We just had the greatest quarter in our company history and it feels great. But here’s the question: Are those goals stretching you or your team enough? 

Short-term wins can feel urgent, even challenging—but are they purposeful enough? Do they give people a reason to care beyond the paycheck? 

When the stakes are truly high, they go beyond financial targets. High-stakes leadership means asking your team to reach for something bold, meaningful, and transformative. It means setting goals that feel risky—not because they’re hard to hit, but because they matter so much. 

The Cost of Low Stakes: Apathy 

The danger of low-stakes leadership isn’t just mediocre results. It’s apathy. 

When the stakes aren’t high, people stop giving a shit. They do the bare minimum. They go through the motions. And that’s the death knell for any organization. 

Because when you live a high-stakes life—whether it’s in your career, your family, or your community—you’ll find that the energy and purpose bleed into everything else. 

If you’re feeling like the stakes aren’t high enough in your life, start here: 

1. Discover Your Prime Mover. 
   Before you figure out your “why,” figure out what moves you. What is it that moves you to choose your why? What makes your heart race and your mind race even faster? This is your personal prime mover, and it’s not a purpose, it’s where the purpose comes from. 

2. Clarify the Mission. 
   Once you’ve uncovered your prime mover, ask yourself: What mission could I take on that would make me proud? This could be at work or in your personal life. The key is to aim for something that feels bold enough to matter. 

3. Make Sacrifices Visible. 
   The stakes won’t feel high if they don’t require sacrifice. Be willing to give up time, comfort, or convenience for the sake of something bigger. And let others see that sacrifice—it will inspire them to do the same. 

4. Enlist Others in the Journey. 
   The most meaningful high-stakes goals are rarely achieved alone. Bring others into your mission, whether it’s your team, your family, or your community. Let them share in the risks, and they’ll share in the rewards. 

This year, I’m on a mission to raise the stakes. Because I’ve learned that when the stakes are high, you show up differently. You push harder. You care more. 

So, I’ll leave you with the same question I’ve been asking myself: Are your stakes high enough? And if they’re not, what are you willing to do to make them higher? 

Happy New Year 

Elsewhere In Culture 

Over 50% Of Hybrid Workers Admitted To Partaking In A New Controversial Office Trend, And This Is Why They’re Defending It

We’ve talked about coffee badging before—the practice of showing face at the office just long enough to fulfill an in-office mandate before heading back to remote work—and it continues to reveal a fascinating disconnect between company policies and workplace culture. At its core, coffee badging is a quiet rebellion, a way for employees to reclaim autonomy in environments where badge swipes are treated as proxies for productivity. But this isn’t just about individuals avoiding the office; it’s about a systemic failure to trust employees and measure their work meaningfully. When companies lean on outdated surveillance methods, like badge reports, they risk creating a culture where appearances matter more than outcomes—undermining engagement and fostering resentment. 

For leaders, this trend should prompt deeper reflection. Why are employees resisting in-office mandates, and what does this say about their experience of the workplace? Coffee badging is a symptom, not the disease. It suggests a lack of alignment between employee needs and organizational priorities. Instead of focusing on swipe data or butts-in-seats metrics, consider this: Is your culture one where people feel their work is valued for its impact, or are they merely playing a game of impression management? The companies that move beyond surface-level measures to cultivate a results-driven, trust-based culture are the ones poised to thrive in the long term. After all, true productivity isn’t about being seen—it’s about delivering results. 

Steve Jobs adopted a no ‘bozos’ policy and said the best managers are those who never wanted the job—here are his 3 best management tips

Steve Jobs’ “no bozos” policy wasn’t just about avoiding bad hires—it was a call to build a culture that values skill, humility, and collaboration over traditional management hierarchies. His belief that the best managers are often those who never sought the role resonates deeply with today’s workplace challenges. These are the people who excel as individual contributors, only stepping into leadership because they care about maintaining high standards and delivering results. Jobs’ gamble on Debi Coleman—an English major who became a financial powerhouse—was a testament to this philosophy. It wasn’t her title or pedigree that mattered; it was her ability to bring unique insights and drive outcomes. In modern workplace culture, this highlights an essential truth: leadership should emerge from expertise and impact, not just ambition or adherence to traditional management structures. 

But Jobs’ management style wasn’t just about individual brilliance; it was about building a culture of trust and shared vision. By fostering collaboration and aligning teams under a common purpose, he ensured that Apple operated less like a rigid corporate machine and more like an inspired collective. This emphasis on teamwork, where accountability is shared and micromanagement is rejected, connects directly to the idea of culture driving results. As Jobs put it, “teamwork is dependent on trusting the other folks to come through with their part.” That trust creates the space for innovation and accountability to flourish. For companies today, the lesson is clear: workplace culture is not just about who you hire but how you empower them to thrive together. When the right people are brought in and supported by a culture of trust, their potential is multiplied—and the results speak for themselves. 

The Culture Leaders Podcast

Profits and people — you don’t have to choose. The best leaders know you can’t build one without the other.

On this week’s episode of Culture Leaders, Carmen Amara, Chief People Officer at Yelp, shares how they’re thriving in a remote-first culture while other companies are pushing a mandatory return to office.

Carmen gets real about:

✅ Why leading with empathy isn’t “soft” — it’s a business strategy.

✅ How data-driven decisions shaped Yelp’s remote success.

✅ The tension between profits and purpose — and why you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.

We also unpack how AI can make work more human and the power of storytelling to build a values-driven culture.

This is a must-listen for leaders navigating today’s workplace realities. If you’re still clinging to outdated strategies, Carmen’s insights will challenge you to lead differently.