Feed The Right Wolf: How 2025 Leaders Are Fighting Workplace Burnout

Forbes

5 hours ago

What if the root cause of workplace burnout in 2025 isn't the back-to-back meetings, tight deadlines, or that never-ending project tracker—but something deeper, more human, and more cultural?
To rethink workplace well-being, let's revisit a timeless story: the Cherokee fable of the Two Wolves.
A grandfather tells his grandson that inside every person, two wolves are in constant battle. One represents fear, anger, greed, and ego. The other stands for peace, kindness, humility, and compassion. When asked which one wins, the grandfather replies:
'The one you feed.'
This lesson has a direct parallel to leadership and culture within organizations. Think about it: every day, leaders have the power to 'feed' one of two wolves in their workplace culture. One wolf thrives on unhealthy competition, internal politics, and self-serving behaviors. It feeds on endless meetings, superficial initiatives, and mind-numbing bureaucracy that sucks the life out of employees.
The other wolf, though—this wolf embodies collaboration, purpose, and simplicity. It fuels meaningful work, genuine connection, and a collective mission that energizes people instead of draining them.
In today's hyper-connected, AI-accelerated workplace, this metaphor has never been more relevant. Leaders aren't just managing teams—they're shaping workplace culture. Every decision they make either feeds the wolf of toxic work culture (one that breeds burnout and disengagement) or the wolf of clarity, simplicity, and human-centered leadership.
Agnelo Fernandes, CEO, COTE Hospitality agrees: 'Every decision we make—big or small—either builds trust or chips away at it. As leaders, we have to be intentional - and courageous - about feeding the kind of culture we'd want to work in ourselves.'
He has a strong point. And across industries in 2025, we're seeing this choice play out in very real ways.
In response to rising burnout and attrition rates, Microsoft just expanded its Japan-based 4-day workweek pilot it implemented in 2019 to offices in the UK and Europe. The results? A 27% drop in employee stress, a 35% boost in productivity, and record-high engagement scores. The message was clear: by feeding the wolf of simplicity—focusing on outcomes over hours—Microsoft built a culture that respects employee time and fosters well-being.
Asana, a leading work management platform, integrated AI features into its operations, resulting in significant efficiency gains. The company reported saving approximately 1,972 workdays annually by consolidating tools and incorporating AI functionalities. According to the company's latest earning reports, Asana's total revenue for Fiscal Year 2025 was $723.9 million, an increase of 11% year over year.This streamlining of processes not only improved operational efficiency but also contributed to a more focused and less stressful work environment for employees.
It's easy to blame employee burnout on external pressures, economic uncertainty, or digital overload. But real culture change starts inside organizations—with leadership choices.
Feeding the wolf of purpose, trust, and simplicity isn't just a mindset—it's a leadership imperative in 2025. As organizations grapple with rising burnout and disengagement, the path forward lies in creating environments rooted in clarity, autonomy, and meaning. Below are four practical ways teams are rethinking how they work—favoring clarity over chaos, people over process, and real impact over surface-level optics:
When team members have a clear understanding of their roles, they experience greater control, clarity, and confidence in their work. This clarity reduces ambiguity, minimizes overlap, and fosters trust within the team. For instance, Atlassian employs a "Roles and Responsibilities" play to help teams define individual responsibilities and identify any gaps, leading to more effective collaboration.
Clarity about what constitutes meaningful work enables employees to prioritize effectively, reducing stress and enhancing engagement. Patagonia exemplifies this by aligning every role with its mission to "save our home planet," ensuring that employees think about the environmental impact of their daily tasks.
Eliminating unnecessary or outdated rules can dramatically reduce workplace stress. Netflix embodies this approach with its five-word expense policy: "Act in Netflix's best interest." By trusting employees to interpret this directive to make sound decisions, Netflix fosters a culture of responsibility and autonomy untethered to a traditional multi-layer approval process.
Allocating uninterrupted time for focused work is essential for mental rejuvenation and productivity. Companies like Asana have implemented "No Meeting Wednesdays" to protect deep work time, allowing employees to concentrate without the constant interruption of meetings.
Leadership in 2025 isn't about solving every problem—it's about deciding which values to amplify. Every policy, process, and conversation either fuels burnout or fosters well-being.
Imagine the power of consciously choosing to feed the wolf of simplicity and humility. Leaders who do this break down silos, cut through the noise, and strip away the layers of unnecessary complexity that choke innovation and morale. They focus on values like transparency and authenticity, removing distractions that prevent employees from doing their best work. They create environments where people feel valued, trusted, and connected to a larger purpose.
Here's the 'ah-ha' moment: Leadership isn't about fixing every problem; it's about choosing which values to amplify. Every decision, every policy, every team structure either adds complexity or promotes clarity and focus. The culture you want is a choice, one that's made daily, in seemingly small moments.
The right wolf—the one that drives true culture and sustainable success—will only win if you make the conscious choice to feed it.