Hi there Reader,
Welcome to this edition of Meaningful eMail with the most recent takeaway and updates linked here at the top, and then a full article for your consideration.
Grab what's helpful today, then save others for future reference. You never know when you or someone in your network could use a boost!
Recent Takeaways &
Upcoming Events
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Top Takeaways: Quiet
Subtitled: The power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking... This might just be one of my favorites so far this year!
Read or watch to find out why.
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Business With Ease Summit Guest Appearance
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Let's Explore
Gen X and the C-suite
About a week ago, The Wall Street Journal ran a story titled: “The Gen Xers Who Waited Their Turn to Be CEO Are Getting Passed Over.”
If you run in Gen X circles online, you might’ve seen the buzz.
The gist? Boomers are hanging on to their executive-level jobs, and in bigger companies, boards are often skipping over Xers in favor of Millennial CEOs.
Then a career coach on LinkedIn suggested something spicier: maybe Gen Xers don’t even want the C-Suite anymore. I jumped in immediately: Yes indeed! Titles are traps! We're so over the corporate ladder. We're craving impact, collaborations that contribute and sharing our wisdom.
Little did I know my knee-jerk comment would land in front of thousands of LinkedIn-ers.
Chord struck?
On one hand, I’m surprised by the reaction. On the other… you and I are living this in real time.
We’ve climbed a rung on the ladder, only to find the view’s worse up here.
We’ve been told to be more polished, more corporate… and it feels, well, grody. (Hi, 1986.)
We’ve been overlooked when “fresh ideas” get confused with “fresh blood.”
We’ve found more joy in sharing wisdom and connecting with people than in crushing KPIs.
And above all, we’ve realized our ambition isn’t fading — it’s evolving.
When those misalignments start to itch, it’s OK to take a beat and shake them off.
When success looks blurry, it’s OK to put on your readers and see it with a fresh lens.
When you wonder what’s next, it’s OK to try on a new version of yourself — like shoulder pads, but less poufy.
It’s OK to not even freakin’ want the C-Suite anymore. And you know what? It’s also OK if you still do.
This second half of your career is yours. Design it. Own it. Play it like your favorite mixtape.
And when you’re ready, call me. I’ll be wearing my black fringe Bon Jovi jacket, engine running, ready to ride.
PS: You don’t need a corner office to have influence.
In my new newsletter, The Open Line, we explore what modern leadership really looks like... where presence beats polish, listening is a power move, and you can lead without playing the corporate song-and-dance.
If that sounds like your kind of rebellion, just reply with "Add me!"
