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The Leadership Podcast

The Leadership Podcast

We Study Leaders

TLP506: Retention Is Dead: The Workquake Reshaping Talent

April 8, 2026

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TLP506: Retention Is Dead: The Workquake Reshaping Talent
Steve Cadigan is a global talent strategist, author of “Workquake: Embracing the Aftershocks of COVID-19 to Create a Better Model of Working,” and LinkedIn’s founding Chief HR Officer.
Steve believes the world of work is going through a “workquake” — a fundamental shift that’s breaking the old employer-employee contract. At the core of it is a false premise: the idea of long-term loyalty that neither side can reliably keep.
In this conversation, Steve explains why many of the world’s most successful companies have surprisingly short employee tenure, why the workforce isn’t disloyal but loyal to growth, and why leaders should focus less on retention and more on creating meaningful development while people are with them.
For leaders navigating turnover and rapid change, this episode offers a more honest way to think about talent and what it actually takes to build teams that perform.
Find episode 506 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Business Leadership, Career Growth, Employee Engagement, employee experience, Employee Retention, employee turnover, future of work, hr strategy, human resources, leadership advice, leadership development, Leadership Insights, Leadership Podcast, leadership skills, leadership training, management tips, modern leadership, Organizational Culture, steve cadigan, talent management, talent retention, talent strategy, workforce trends, workplace culture, workquake

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One of the biggest misconceptions about leadership One of the biggest misconceptions about leadership is that the people at the top somehow found a shortcut.After 500 conversations with CEOs, military leaders, entrepreneurs, and high performers, the opposite appears to be true.The leaders who create lasting impact usually make difficult tradeoffs that most people never see. They often trade off their:TimeComfortCertaintyConvenienceEgoNot because they are obsessed with work, but because meaningful growth almost always demands sustained commitment. And most conversations around leadership often skip over the cost.But mastery and long-term excellence rarely happen accidentally and without sacrifice.What do you think most people underestimate when pursuing meaningful success? https://bit.ly/TLP-511?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #selfreliantleadership #noshortcuts #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #podcast
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