The Influence Premium: Why Top Professionals Are Swapping 'Hustle Culture' for a New Model of Self-Development
SAN DIEGO – In boardrooms and home offices across the country, a quiet revolution is underway. The "hustle culture" ethos that dominated the last decade—characterized by relentless optimization and performative workaholism—is facing a significant backlash. Ambitious professionals, from consultants to healthcare leaders, are discovering that the relentless pursuit of self-improvement is not only leading to unprecedented levels of burnout but is also yielding diminishing returns on a key career asset: genuine influence . The emerging alternative is a more holistic, integrated approach known as self-development. While the terms are often used interchangeably, their underlying philosophies are worlds apart. "Self-improvement operates on a deficit model; it assumes you are a problem to be fixed," says Mark Taylor, an influence coach who works with client-facing professionals. "True self-development, however, operates on a potential model. It's about aligning you...