Randy Conley, May 19, 2026

There’s a fog that’s settled over today’s workplace.  You can feel it in conversations with leaders. You can hear it in the questions employees are asking, sometimes out loud, often quietly to themselves:

Do I still matter?  What’s my future here?  Is there still a place for me in all this change?

And leaders aren’t exempt from these troubling concerns. Many are asking their own version of those same questions: How do I lead through this without losing myself, or my people?

What’s Creating This Fog?

A convergence of forces is producing this workplace fog.  The one getting the most publicity is AI. For all its wonderful possibilities, AI is also creating immense ambiguity. Jobs that once seemed like secure careers now face the possibility of being dramatically reshaped or even eliminated by AI. Of course, AI will almost certainly produce new or different kinds of roles for people, but this job churn is producing dramatic psychological disruption in people’s sense of purpose, identity, and value.

Another factor contributing to workplace fog is burnout. Recent reports reveal that 66% of employees are experiencing burnout, manager engagement has dropped significantly, and 75% of leaders frequently feel “used up” at the end of the day. Workplace trends of job creep (doing the work of multiple roles without additional compensation or support) and “quiet cracking” (being employed but feeling emotionally depleted and trapped) are becoming more normalised as simply the new world of work.

In moments like this, leadership gets tested in a deeper way. Not just in what you do, but in who you are.  Because the real challenge leaders face today isn’t just the external fog of complexity, it’s the internal fog of not having clarity on their leadership purpose.

Human-Centered Leadership Cuts Through the Fog

Anyone who has driven through dense fog knows the feeling. You slow down, grip the wheel a little tighter, and strain to see what’s ahead. When visibility is low, the solution is not to drive faster. It’s to focus on what provides reliable direction, the lane lines, the guardrails, and most importantly, the headlights illuminating the road ahead.

Human-centered leadership acts like headlights in uncertain conditions, not removing the fog but helping people navigate safely through it. In foggy conditions, leaders need a clear sense of purpose and values that keep them grounded and help others move forward with confidence. Because people look to leaders for reassurance in uncertain times, for hope, trust, stability, and confidence that they still matter.

Human-centered leadership isn’t complicated, but it does require intentionality. Here are three ways leaders can create clarity for themselves and the people they lead.

First: Clarify Your Purpose as a Leader

Ask yourself: What do I stand for? What kind of impact do I want to have on the people I lead?

A helpful way to identify what drives your leadership is to look to your past. Who were the significant people that shaped your views on leadership? What were notable events or experiences in your life and what values did they instill in you?

For example, I grew up in a single-parent household where money was scarce. There were times we received government aid, and I remember being treated as less than by others because of our financial status. As a leader in the workplace, that experience has driven me to honor the value of respect. I strive to treat everyone with respect, regardless of their personal circumstances. Because I don’t want anyone to feel less than, I err on the side of inclusiveness.

Being clear on your purpose isn’t about crafting the perfect language of a personal mission statement. It’s about getting honest clarity on the legacy you want to leave and live as a leader.

Second: Use Your Purpose as a Filter for Decisions

Before making key decisions, pause and consider whether the decision will be aligned with your purpose and values as a leader.

One of my favorite books is The Power of Ethical Management by Ken Blanchard and Norman Vincent Peale. The authors offer three simple yet profound questions, listed below, to help you align your decisions with your leadership purpose.

1. Is it legal?

Pretty simple and straightforward. If the answer is no, it’s clear that the decision doesn’t align with a worthy purpose, no matter how much you may try to rationalise it. It also means you don’t even need to bother asking the next two questions!

2. Is it balanced?

This question is about fairness. Will your decision heavily favour one party or another? Is there a big loser or winner? This question forces you to consider how your purpose and decisions will impact all the stakeholders you influence.

3. How will it make me feel about myself?

This question focuses on your own emotions and standards of morality. It forces you to reconcile your stated values and purpose as a leader with the results of your decision. Another way to frame this question is to ask yourself how you would feel if a video of you explaining the decision went viral. Would you feel proud, or would it be a cringe-worthy moment?

Your answers to these questions will guide you more than any policy or playbook.

Third: Align Your Actions—Especially When It’s Hard

It’s easy to lead from your purpose when things are going well. The real test is what you do under pressure.

A wonderful example comes from Garry Ridge, former CEO of WD-40. He once made the decision to terminate a relationship with a distributor in Asia who was involved in corrupt dealings with a foreign tax official. Garry’s company lost millions of dollars in revenue, and it took several years to find another distributor in the region.

What drove his decision? It was the company’s value of “doing the right thing.” That meant they didn’t lie, cheat, or steal.

There was nothing foggy about that situation. The decision is clear when it’s guided by your purpose and values.

A Clear View Ahead

Human-centered leadership isn’t just about being more empathetic or a better listener. It’s deeper than that.

It’s about knowing your purpose and values as a leader and letting that clarity shape how you show up, guide your decisions, and support those you lead—especially when it’s foggy.