26 June 2025
by Cherie Mylordis
This is what it all comes back to
If you’ve worked with me, heard me speak, read my content or had a coffee with me, you’ve probably heard me talk about what I call ‘unbossing’.
You might’ve heard me say:
Let’s stop managing people and start unbossing them.
I want to pull back the curtain and show you why I talk about this so much and why this one idea sits at the heart of everything I create, coach and share.
Because it’s not just a concept, it’s my obsession. And it’s my purpose.
You’re probably not doing what you’re capable of at work (and it’s not your fault)
A little while ago, I asked 200 leaders in 24 countries a simple question:
Are you doing the best work of your life?
Only one said yes. Just one.
And it wasn’t that the other 199 aren’t smart, motivated or capable. But because the system they’re in is working against them.
The way we lead and work is outdated.
We’re still organising people like it’s the industrial age.
- Rigid hierarchies
- Fixed roles
- Layers of approval
- Leadership that’s more about control than clarity.
The result? Brilliant people burn out. Or they quietly check out.
While the system rolls on unchanged, year after year.
1917 called. They want their org chart back.
But I’ve seen what’s possible
It doesn’t have to be that way. I’ve seen it firsthand. When I worked on the Sydney Olympics, we didn’t have all the answers.
We were a team of rookies tasked with delivering something massive. But we had three things that made all the difference:
- A clear, bold purpose
- Freedom to figure things out
- Trust in each other
And we delivered what was declared by the International Olympic Committee President as ‘the best Games ever’.
That experience showed me what happens when people are empowered to rise to a challenge. And it’s shaped everything I’ve done since.
The power of conscious unbossing
‘Conscious unbossing’ might sound like the latest leadership buzzword, but it’s so much more than that.
It’s about intentionally letting go of control and choosing trust, clarity and purpose instead.
It’s about leaders who:
- Empower, instead of micromanage
- Create cultures that unlock potential
- Care deeply about growth (theirs and their teams’)
Need proof that it works? Well, take Swiss pharmaceutical Novartis, employer of 76,000 people across the world, for example.
CEO Vas Narasimhan describes their culture in one word: Unbossed.
In general, I have a philosophy that we call in our culture 'unbossed,' and we try to unboss our people. We want our people to actually bring the ideas up. And then we, of course, have to challenge them, but then we make the call.
Vas Narsasimhan
In a culture of unbossing there’s no room for passive management.
Everyone is expected to lead. Everyone is encouraged to grow.
That’s what future-fit leadership looks like. And that’s where I want to lead more leaders and organisations towards.
But where do I start?
I hear you! It sounds daunting. It doesn’t have to be.
This is the framework I use with clients, I call it ‘Work in 3D’.
It’s simple but transformative.
1️⃣ Dare to pursue bold purpose
2️⃣ Ditch outdated practices
3️⃣ Dial up better ways of working
Imagine what could happen if you stopped managing people and start unbossing them.
Picture your team if you could remove the blockers and fuel them with unwavering, clear purpose.
That’s when the best work happens.
And when that happens? The business thrives. The culture shifts. People truly show up and light up.
It’s magic. I see it myself in the teams and leaders I coach.
So, what would you change?
This is the question I ask leaders I coach all the time:
What would you change so you could do the best work of your life or help your team do theirs?
It’s not just theoretical.
It’s the starting point for everything that follows.
Let’s make work better — for people, for performance, for good.
About Cherie:
Cherie Mylordis, founder of nextgenify, is more than a work futurist and innovation expert. Cherie is a beacon for leaders who yearn to do more purpose-driven work.
With extensive experience leading complex change programs, Cherie has worked on many major international projects. Throughout her career, she’s seen firsthand the impact of good leadership, and the big things that happen when people are empowered to do their best work.
The world is changing, and the way we work is at a major crossroads - do we stick with the status quo, or boldly embrace new ways of working that are worthy of the global challenges we face? Cherie believes the future of work is already here - if only you know where to look for it.
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