Justin Oberman

Freelance Creative Director

Oberman & Partners

Publicity & Promotions for Creative Leaders and Brands

Publicist, Promotor and Advertising Impresario

I am a copywriter. People who cannot write or do not want to write hire me for only one conceivable reason: to transmit to some audience a message or impression that will get them to react in a way that is to the person who hired me's advantage. 

In order to do that I help people and brands write things worth reading, or think of things worth writing about. Sometimes, even both at the same time.

Copywriting and Creative Coach, Creative + Brand Consultant for Hire, Available for talks + workshops.

Freelance Copywriter & Ghostwriter

The LA Jewish Home

Oversee (and sometimes even create) the advertising placed in the magazine
Oversee the marketing of the magazine
Write a column on marketing
Oversee the contest section
Oversee cover art

Marketing Director / Editor 

Laetro

Designed specifically for creatives by creatives, 
Laetro.com is a pay-as-you-go proprietary collaborative platform that seamlessly connects  businesses and brands with top-tier creative talent.

ECD Partner

Insign - Agence de communication

Collier.Simon

Generate Life Sciences, Cord Blood Registry, Community Colleges of Los Angeles, LastPass

(also worked a little on PayPal & Experian TikTok campaigns)

Associate Creative Director, Copy

Freelance

I use all the the extra knowledge I accumulate as a copywriter to write, research and verify thousands of questions for trivia apps, shows, websites, periodicals and quiz databases.

Freelance Quiz and Trivia Writer

The Adcom Group

Cleveland Clinic, GetGo, ACCO, New Business

Associate Creative Director, Writer

Crispin Porter + Bogusky

Hershey's (Whoppers Candy). Now ask me how I got the gig.

Freelance Senior Copywriter

Obercreative 

Here's the shpiel.

Whether it's with a click or a smile (or both), I'm a senior-level advertising copywriter, and content strategist with a knack for creating the kind of brand stories, content "gamification" and cheeky/satirical messaging that moves both people and products. 

What I love most about my job is the ability to collaborate with cool people to conjure up creative solutions for brands.

With over 10 years experience I prefer to inspire rather than dictate. As a senior creative, I've lead teams of copywriters, content and product managers, UX and graphic designers, front-end developers, and video producers... I believe strongly in treating every member of my team exactly how I would want to be treated and translating that level of attention to the consumer. 

Beyond TVC's & taglines, my specialties include 
• new business pitches 
• web & interactive copy
• experiential
• brand messaging
• content strategy 
• Direct Marketing copy (especially email and Facebook Ads)
• Game shows
• Crypto & ICO launches
• and writing. Lots and lots of writing

•Agencies: CP+B, Drumroll, Davis Elen, Crypto Media Group, Quigley-Simpson, Phenomenon, The Woo, Contend, Mosaic, Razorfish, Euro RSCG, MotherNY, EO Interactive, Bocca Digital, Lesli Ink, Bancs Media, and Street Attack

•Brands: Hershey’s, Spartan, Fannie Mae, Capital One, GreatCall/Jitterbug, Kiddie Academy, Chase Marriott Rewards, Chase Freedom,  Intuit, Lenovo, Motorola, DeLonghi, Microsoft, Oracle, Welches, PlutoTV,  Google, Citibank, Target, Verizon, Jaguar, Commonwealth Bank Australia, Virginia Lottery, Clearasil, AOL, Gagosian, COLD-EEZE, Blackwing Pencils, YINC, Pura D'or & 2-Minute Club, Caffe Furia, I am Yusani.

Freelance Copywriter / Creative Director

Brand Response Copywriter, Creative Director - I can talk like a direct marketer ✓ and create brand awareness ✓ at the same time. 🤯 DM me to learn how. | Advertising | Branding | Strategy |

I started an ad agency in 2020 during the pandemic.

Quietly grew it to 7 figures using nothing but organic LinkedIn posting and word of mouth.

Then, in 2023, I burned out.

So, I closed my agency.

But before I did that, I had a stark realization. 

Besides the influx of business, my following on LinkedIn had grown to over 30k. 

I also realized that most of the people and brands that hired me did so because they liked my Linkedin posts. 

They liked the way I thought. 

I did this without taking classes from the gurus, paying attention to my metrics, or writing for the algorithm.

I figured, if I could do it for me, I could probably do it for other people as well.

So, I started offering ghostwriting services to high-level ad executives and solopreneurs in early 2023.

And the results were pretty phenomenal.

In just 6 months, I grew from zero clients to over 15

And on November 1st, 2023, I closed my ad agency for good. 

Since that day, I’ve taken my unconventional approach to branding and advertising  and started using it to ghostwrite and manage the personal brands of several high-profile executives, founders, business owners, and solopreneurs (but I can’t tell you who).

To scale the business, I partnered with LinkedIn B2B ad whisperer Aaron Zakowski to form Genius Scouts.

My Mission is to help people and brands write things worth reading and do things worth writing about.

Here are all the ways you can work with me:

GENIUS SCOUTS THE AGENCY

Need help building and managing your personal brand? Let the world's only full-service ad agency (but for people) do it for you. 

→ GO HERE: https://www.geniusscouts.com/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=JustinProfileLink

LAETRO 

Need help creating an ad campaign or with a marketing project? Let me put together a team for you. 

→ DM me

HIBACHI COPY

Just need copywriting help? Me, you (and whoever you think should be in there as well). Two days. All the copy you need. Done. 
→ GO HERE: www.hibachicopy.com

Email: justin@justinoberman.com
X: @obercr8ive

Creative Director / Copywriter

Oberman & Partners is a creative consultancy for brands and agencies that still believe in the magic of advertising. 

Known as the guy that brands and agencies call when they’re stuck or need a little extra creative juice, OBERMAN diagnoses the problem and (if necessary) puts together a unique team of PARTNERS (freelancers or other agencies) to solve them.

Wow. This Substack thing really works. Below are my results after just one day of rebranding my newsletter as OberThinking  and activating payment subscriber mode. 

Of course, and this is extremely important, I am not just rising from the earth like Adam. 

I’m totally leveraging my 58k followers on LinkedIn. 

But still. 

Since starting on Substack I have 

• Grown my newsletter from 700 subscribers to almost  4k in three month

• Gotten most of leads either directly from the newsletter or from people who have read it. 

• Earned almost 1k in subscriber fees on my first day of activating it. 

• #19 Rising in Business category 

That’s enough to convince me where I should start shifting my (and my clients) attention. 

Don’t get me wrong. I still plan on using LinkedIn.  Abd evennpksn to start using Facebook more. 

But just differently. 

It’s no longer the end goal. 

Getting oeople to subscribe to my newsletter is. 

I’ve got 3 clients that have already made the shift. 

Anyone want to be the fourth? 

Link to my newsletter in comments

Copywriter, Ghostwriter, Personal & Corporate Brand Advisor, Manager & Impresario. | I help people and brands write things worth reading and do things worth writing about. | I also teach how to write like a human with AI

Whitney Ruben: Our ads aren't working

Bill Bernbach: Where are you advertising?

Rubin: In the NY Post

Bill: Why?

Rubin: Because it has an 80% Jewish readership 

Bill: Why does that matter?

Rubin: Well, rye bread is a Jewish staple. 

Bill: So?

Rubin: So, shouldn't we advertise where the Jews are? 

Bill: That's lazy thinking. 

Rubin: How so?

Bill: Look, Levy's Jewish Rye is a great Jewish Rye... but from one Jew to another, let's face it, it's a packaged Jewish Rye. Every Jew knows that the only place t get good rye bread is fresh from the baker.

Rubin: So, how can we convince them to buy our packaged Jewish rye?

Bill: You can't. At least not without spending millions of dollars.

Rubin: Oy! So what do we do?

Bill: Appeal to a wider audience

Rubin? You mean Gentiles? 

Bill: Why not? They already buy packaged bread. And they'd probably love the novelty of a rye one. 

Rubin: I guess so, but how do we do that? Isn't that expensive?

Bill: Not at all. Simply relocate all your current Jewish-targeted advertising to papers with a higher gentile readership. 

Rubin: Great! Let's do it.

FLASH FORWARD 3 YEARS

Rubin: Your plan worked. Should we make our ads less Jewish, looking to increase sales?

Bill: Not at all. In fact, I suggest doubling down on it. Let's add the word "Jewish" to Levy's Rye Bread so that it reads "Levy's Real Jewish Rye." 

Rubin: I don't know. People are liable to be anti-Semitic. Plus, "Jewish" could be a real turn-off to retailers. 

Bill: I think the opposite will happen. 

Rubin: How so?

Bill: I think people will associate the best rye bread with Jewish rye bread. And they'll ask for you by name. 

Rubin: I don't know if I want to be so Jewish.

Bill: For goodness' sake, Whitney, the bread's name is Levy's. They're not going to mistake you for being High Episcopalian. 

Rubin: So what do you suggest?

Bill: Let’s blast Jewish message all over New York

Rubin: You mean the New Yorker?

Bill: Well, there too. But no. I mean New York.

Rubin: The City?

Bill: Yes... Specifically in the Subways. 

Rubin: Why the Subways?

Bill: Because everyone uses subways. It will make your bread seem as ethnic as New York.

Rubin: OK, Bill

With some creative liberties, that's how the great Levy's Bread campaign came about. 

No 23 slide deck about DDB's philosophy. 

No 75-slide consumer insight deck 

No 55-slide media plan. 

Just a client with a problem, a young ad executive who knew how to look beyond the obvious, and a young agency filled with highly talented creative people to make it happen.  

The result was a campaign that didn't just usher in a new creative revolution in advertising and make DDB the hottest shop in town. 

But also became a significant symbol of diversity in the 60s. 

Even Malcolm was a fan.

You don't need to be DDB to know what good advertising is ;-)

RIP DDB.

👍 to share
#oberthinking
#advertisinghistorytoday

#advertising #creative #marketing #copywriting

Levy's Bread DDB Ads

It took three months meeting over 4,000 people before Volkswagen chose DDB  as their agency.

They were not impressed by what they’d seen.

Which was hardly surprising.  

The year was 1959. 

US advertising was infatuated with data, research, focus groups, and the like. 

Almost every ad, commercial, and billboard was tested before, during, and after it ran. 

All of it was deeply analyzed in an attempt to make the message mean all things to all people. 

But more often than not, the results meant nothing to anyone. 

Except at least to the agency and the client.

The ad below was one of many ads for that campaign that changed everything. 

It turned an ugly German car (funded by Hitler, no less) into an icon. 

It didn’t just move needles. 

It changed minds.

It was magic.

And it spawned a creative revolution that changed the world of advertising forever. 

Well, at least for the next forty years. 

Our industry has again fallen under the spell of data. 

We spend days creating digital ads that are tested in real time. 

The only difference this time is that…

Instead of trying to make one ad mean all things to all people, now we try to make many ads mean something to just one person.

But once again…

More often than not, the results mean little to anyone.

Sounds like a ripe opportunity for disruption. 

I’m excited to see the ad that will spark the next creative revolution.

Hopefully, it will be yours. 

RIP DDB

👍 to share

#oberthinking
#advertisinghistorytoday

#advertising #creativity #marketing

The best marketing books aren’t about marketing.

This week I read  “No More Mr. Nice Guy”  (and before you judge, it’s not what you think). 

The book is ostensibly about men who’ve spent their lives seeking approval, avoiding conflict, and wondering why their relationships feel hollow. 

But if you strip away the therapeutic framework and you find something fascinating: 

A study in learned inhibition.

Most of the men who come to Rober Glover already know how to get what they want. 

They knew as children. Watch any three-year-old negotiate for ice cream and you’ll see sophisticated persuasion at work. 

You’ll see a human that understands (or is at least figuring out) attention-seeking, emotional leverage and strategic persistence. 

But somewhere between childhood and the cubicle, we learn that wanting things openly is unseemly. And that drawing attention to yourself is vulgar. And that the proper way to get what you need is to be so helpful, or so accommodating, or so relentlessly pleasant that people volunteer to give it to you.

(They rarely do.)

Which brings me to LinkedIn and personal branding, or even regular branding for that matter, and that word we keep using: 

Authentic.

When we talk about “being authentic” on social media, we usually mean sharing vulnerable moments or admitting our failures. And that can be valuable. But I think  we’re defining the term too narrowly, and in doing so, missing something important.

The three-year-old asking for ice cream is being utterly authentic not  because she’s sharing her deepest vulnerabilities, but because she hasn’t yet learned that desire is something to disguise.

She’s willing to be visible in her wanting. 

Being authentic doesn’t mean broadcasting your every unfiltered thought. 

It means not being afraid to do the things you need to do to get what you want.

Most of you who have problems making social media work for you are having these problems because you have spent decades learning the opposite lesson. 

You’ve been taught that the sophisticated professional doesn’t ask directly, doesn’t draw attention, doesn’t seek things like fame. 

So you wrap your ambitions in self-deprecation and soften your expertise with qualifying phrases and post tentatively, as if apologising for taking up space.

And that’s why your ideas don’t spread, why your businesses don’t grow, and why the opportunities go to people who seem somehow less qualified but inexplicably more visible.

What we call authenticity in adult discourse is often just inhibition wearing a respectable mask.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Being authentic doesn’t mean broadcasting your every unfiltered thought. 

It means not being afraid to do the things you need to do to get what you want.

If this resonated and you want to learn how to snap out of it sign up for my upcoming free masterclass. Or subscribe to my newsletter. 

Link to book in comments. 

#onebookaweek

No alternative text description for this image

Personal branding has nothing to do with authenticity. 

According to her birth certificate, the woman in the picture below’s name was Josephine Esther Mentzer. But as a child she went by a nickname based on her middle name. 

Born in Corona, Queens, she was the daughter of Hungarian Jewish immigrants and worked in her father’s hardware store alongside eight siblings.

When she and her husband launched the company with four products in 1946, she added an accent mark to her nickname to make it sound French and began pronouncing it the way her father had, with his Hungarian accent.

She hinted at European aristocratic descent and told people she’d been raised by her Viennese mother in a sumptuous home in Flushing, Queens, with stables, a chauffeured car, and an Italian nurse. 

None of it was true.

But everyone suspected it. 

And yet the beauty brand she founded flourishes until today. 

Because she understood the one thing that most people who build personal brands miss. 

That the mythology around her wasn’t meant to replace an authentic product experience.

It was there to get people’s attention and give that experience meaning. 

That brands built purely on mythmaking, without substance, tend to collapse when reality disappoints. 

And that a fake aristocrat selling ineffective cream would have been forgotten by 1950.

She first learned the formulation of her products as a little girl, watching her chemist uncle in Queens. 

She and her husband manufactured them in a converted Manhattan restaurant. 

She’d make products during the day, sell them to beauty salons where she’d demonstrate them to women under hair dryers, and then continue making products through the night. 

As it turned out, her creams actually improved women’s skin.

And that’s how  “Estée Lauder” (a name that never quite existed, belonging to a woman everyone knew was never quite who she said she was) became one of the most authentic brands in cosmetics.

Because the reputation didn’t belong to her. 

That’s just how she got people’s attention. 

It belonged to the millions of women who built it in their own heads, from their own experiences, and most importantly, the evidence on their own skin.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Lesson: It’s OK to humbug people to get their attention, provided that the thing you are getting their attention for is of greater value than the humbug. 

If you ask me, that’s kind of what all good advertising does anyway. 

But more importantly, as this story proves, it applies to your personal brand just as much as to your corporate ones. 

Do you really believe that Musk, Bartlett or any of the people you admire with strong personal brands are truly being themselves? 

Acting like they do at home? 

They are not. 

Some of may be acting more natural than others. 

But they are  all acting. 

They are putting on a show. 

And the sooner you accept this and start building your character, the more successful you will be. 

Have fun 

#advertisinghistorytoday

Since everyone's impressions are down, I created a Mad Libs post generator for LinkedIn. Have fun. Link in comments.

I have bad news for every marketing professional reading this.

We're probably still going to be using LLMs to create content in 5 years.

I've talked to VCs. 
I've talked to private equity. 
I've talked to the "disruptors."

Nobody wants to take on OpenAI, Claude, or Google.

The sales cycle is too hard. 
Companies won't leave.

So here's the question: If we're stuck with LLMs, how do we make it work FOR us instead of us working THROUGH it?

What if the answer isn't another clone of my voice to create a LinkedIn posts platform?
What if the answer is building around it?

• Pulling yourself out of the LLM 80% of the time
• Build our own workflow tools that actually make you think differently
• Create an idea that helps you create more original content.

I'm not talking about trying to replace your LLMs
I'm trying to make it more irrelevant to your daily content creation.

Introducing Mad Links (A Mad Libs generator for your LinkedIn posts).

Is it a solution to any of the issues I discussed above?

No. 

But it's a lot of fun. 

Which, by the way, is an underappreciated technique for creating better content.

Link in comments

One of the interesting things about politely disagreeing with AIfluencers on social media is that they probably won't see it. 

The whole purpose of AI, from their point of view, is to let them avoid actually spending time on the platforms and communicating with people. 

I do not think that Ruben Hassid is one of those people. 

But oddly enough, it is also one of the reasons AI cannot do many of the things it claims it can. 

Like, for example, make your content feel more human. 

That's because language is not a delivery system. It's a collaboration. 

It's time to hold AInfluencers and AI companies philosophically accountable for the things that they say.

I talk about this and more in today's OberThinking newsletter. 

And speaking of collaboration, I created a fun ChatGPT to help prove this point. 

It's Mad Links, and it's essentially a Mad Libs post Generator for LinkedIn.

Link in comments 

On Thursday, I will release my Drunk Prompting guide for paid subscribers. 

If you'd rather avoid my philosophical musing on AI, you can just skip down to the bottom like a Craxker Jack Box and have some fun.

Link to newsletter in comments

This is the "Apple 1984 ad of political advertising.”

The year was 1964. President Johnson needed an agency for his campaign against Barry Goldwater. 

His choice? 

The creative revolutionaries at DDB are the same folks behind Volkswagen's groundbreaking "Think Small" campaign.

The legendary audio engineer Tony Schwartz was brought in to work on the project.

What they ended up producing stunned America.

On September 7, 1964, during NBC's Monday Night Movie, viewers watched as a little girl counted daisy petals. Suddenly, her innocent counting transformed into a missile launch countdown. 

Then... nuclear apocalypse.

No mention of Goldwater. 

No direct accusations. 

Just pure, raw emotion that played on voters' deepest fears about nuclear war.

The backlash was immediate. Johnson pulled it amid fierce criticism. 

The "Daisy" ad aired exactly once. But here's the twist - news stations nationwide couldn't stop replaying it. 

The ad went viral before "viral" existed.

Tony Schwartz called it "the first Rorschach test on the American public." 

He wasn't wrong. 

The spot revolutionized political advertising by showing the raw power of emotional storytelling over facts and figures.

Johnson won with 90% of the electoral votes. 

And whether or not the ad had anything to do with it, he, DDB, and Tony Schwartz wrote the playbook for modern political advertising: 

People don't vote for a candidate. They vote against the other guy. 

Sometimes, the most powerful message is the one that taps into what voters are already thinking.

Fascinating fact: JFK had actually spotted DDB's potential first. He told Bobby to "Get me the agency that does the Volkswagen advertising" for his planned '64 campaign. We'll never know what they would have created for Kennedy. But we know the revolution they sparked for Johnson.

RIP DDB

I held my breath while punching until I felt dizzy.

Then I did it 30 more times.

That's how Jackie Chan invented drunken kung fu.

Turns out, if you want to use AI to help you be more creative, that's also how you should be prompting AI.

But nobody's teaching you that part.

Until I wrote the below Substack

Link in comments

Jitender Girdhar ↗️

3 TEDx Talks | Bestselling Author | Entrepreneur | Columnist | I help founders and leaders 10x their impact | Follow for No-Nonsense insights on Leadership, Growth, and Mindset

I coach leaders to 10x their clarity, confidence, and influence; so they lead with authority, drive results, and create lasting impact.

As a Leadership & Influence Coach, I work with professionals and founders who want to rise above noise, lead decisively, and be seen as the go-to leader in their space. 

Whether you're stuck in self-doubt, unclear communication, or inconsistent team outcomes, I help you make confident, high-trust leadership your default mode.

I also partner with companies as a Culture Coach, helping leadership teams build high-trust, people-first workplaces. From cultural misalignment to poor retention, I help solve the root problems that impact performance and morale.

I’ve delivered 3 TEDx Talks, written a bestselling book on right thinking, and built three ventures as an entrepreneur. I also write as a columnist and was named the #1 Creator in Workplace Wellbeing for my practical, no-fluff insights on leadership and culture.

Who I work with:
• Mid to senior leaders seeking more influence, clarity, and executive presence
• Founders and CXOs looking to align and energize their teams
• Organizations ready to fix culture drift and build high-performing environments

My style is direct, practical, and grounded in real-world experience; not theory or motivation fluff.

If you're ready to grow your leadership influence, build long-term credibility, and lead with clarity that scales; let's connect.

Open to 1:1 coaching, team workshops, and consulting engagements.

Author

Jitender Girdhar

7 Signs your Manager is a RARE GEM 💎 
 
If you have them, thank your lucky stars. 
 
In my 20+ years of working, 
I've realized great managers are like unicorns 🦄 
 
Here are 7 signs you've found one: 
 
1.They don't wait for you to ASK for a promotion Instead, 
they're already building your case 
That's what real support looks like 
 
2. During failures: "It's on me" 
During success: "My team did it" 
No stealing credit, only sharing glory 
 
3. They are always available for those 1:1s 
Even when their calendar is CRAZY, and when you are SCARED that they won’t have time for you. Because your growth > their busy-ness ⏰ 

4. You hear stories about them FIGHTING for your salary 
But never from them That's class 
 
5. Office politics? 
What office politics? 
They're your human shield from corporate drama 🛡️ 
 
6. Their Feedback hits hard but heals deep 
Always in private 
Always for growth 
Never to show power 🎯 
 
7. Your wins get attention 
Your work reaches the RIGHT people 
They market YOU like their own product ⭐ 
 
Most managers take, some give, and a rare few fight. 
 
If you have one of these managers, 
value their influence, 
learn from their actions, 
and aim to lead with the same conviction. 
 
Tag a manager who fights for their team! 🙏 
 
♻️ Repost to spark conversation about rare great leaders 
➕ Follow Jitender Girdhar for more

7 Signs your Manager is a RARE GEM

Your title doesn't make you a leader.

How you choose to treat your team does.

9 Type of Managers who change your career forever.

Not the ones with the loudest voices,
the ones who quietly shaped who you became.

Here are the managers people never forget:

1. The manager who made you feel safe
↳ They listened without judgement and made honesty feel easy.

2. The manager who trusted you early
↳ They gave responsibility before you believed you were ready.

3. The manager who corrected you with respect
↳ They showed you how to improve without making you feel small.

4. The manager who celebrated your progress
↳ Your small wins mattered because your growth mattered.

5. The manager who defended you in tough rooms
↳ They protected your effort even when it was inconvenient.

6. The manager who saw your potential
↳ They spotted strengths you didn’t notice in yourself.

7. The manager who made work feel human
↳ Family, health, and life always came before deadlines.

8. The manager who pushed you with care
↳ High expectations, delivered with support; not fear.

9. The manager who gave grace
↳ Mistakes weren’t weapons. They were lessons.

These managers don’t just lead teams.
They shape careers, confidence, and entire lives.

👉 Which one did you have, or wish you had?

♻️ Repost to celebrate the managers who truly make a difference
 ➕ Follow Jitender Girdhar for more

9 Managers who change your career forever.

Most managers manage. Few lead.

The ones who risk it all for the team, are rare.

A title doesn’t make someone a leader, courage does.

Especially the courage to challenge upwards when it’s the right thing to do.

Here’s what true leadership looks like:

1. They speak truth to power
↳ Even when silence is safer.

2. They shield their team from unfair pressure
↳ Taking the heat themselves instead of passing it down.

3. They fight for resources
↳ So their team can do great work without burning out.

4. They protect their people’s dignity
↳ No one gets humiliated on their watch.

5. They challenge bad decisions
↳ Not to rebel, but to protect the bigger picture.

6. They put principle over politics
↳ Choosing what’s right over what’s easy.

7. They own mistakes, even ones they didn’t make
↳ Because real leaders carry responsibility, not excuses.

A manager like this earns loyalty money can’t buy,
and builds a team that will go through fire for them.

💬 Have you ever worked for a manager 
who would risk their own career for you?

♻️ Repost to remind leaders what true leadership means
➕ Follow Jitender Girdhar for more

58% quit their jobs due to toxic work culture.

70% of employees feel micromanaged at work.

Most Resignations are about Pain.

They are escaping the pain of toxic culture and poor leadership.

The truth is, employees don’t just leave their jobs.

They leave the pain of broken systems 
and environments that stunt their growth and well-being.

Here’s why your top talent is quitting:

1. Toxic Workplaces
↳ A culture filled with gossip, favoritism, and constant negativity causes emotional exhaustion.

2. Burnout
↳ Endless work without support or balance drains energy, leaving employees feeling empty.

3. Poor Leadership
↳ Micromanagement, lack of transparency, and uninspiring leaders make work unbearable.

4. Limited Growth Opportunities
↳ Stagnation and the lack of professional development create frustration and feelings of being stuck.

5. Inadequate Compensation
↳ When pay doesn't reflect skills, efforts, or market value, the frustration is unbearable.

6. Work-Life Imbalance
↳ The relentless demands of work invade personal time, leading to stress and health problems.

7. Biased Recognition
↳ Being overlooked or treated unfairly in reviews or rewards fuels disengagement and bitterness.

8. Limited Autonomy
↳ Micromanagement or lack of trust leaves employees feeling trapped and powerless.

9. Inappropriate Feedback
↳ Feedback should empower growth, not serve as criticism or blame that intensifies frustration.

10. Changing Company Values
↳ When a company’s shifting values clash with employees' personal values, it creates internal conflict and pain.

11. No Room for Innovation
↳ A culture that stifles creativity and resists change suffocates the passion and drive of top talent.

People leave because of deep pain 
caused by systemic issues, not laziness or ingratitude.

To retain top talent, 
create a culture that prioritizes well-being, growth, and fairness.

Stat source: SHRM and Gallup

What steps is your company taking to ease the pain 
and keep its best people?

➕ Repost to share the real reasons behind resignations
🔔 Follow Jitender Girdhar for more

Most Resignations are not about Pay, they are about Pain.

Insecure managers fear talent.
Secure leaders grow with it.

The smartest teams aren’t built by knowing everything.
They’re built by recognising what others know better.

A strong leader doesn’t hide in the spotlight.
They widen it.

A weak leader feels replaced.
A strong leader feels reinforced.

Smart colleagues do more than complete tasks.
They raise standards.
They push thinking.
They challenge comfort.
They make the whole team sharper.

Threat comes from ego.
Growth comes from collaboration.

If someone knows more than you, learn from them.
If someone works faster than you, study their method.
If someone thinks deeper than you, expand your perspective.

Great leaders don’t compete with their team.
They elevate their team.

Surrounding yourself with impressive people
is not a risk.
It’s a strategy.

And here’s the irony:
Leaders who fear smart people
eventually lose them.

Leaders who value smart people
attract more of them.

Choose the second path.
It’s the only one that scales.

💬 Have you ever worked with someone who made you better just by being around them?

♻️ Repost to remind leaders: talent is an asset, not a threat.
➕ Follow Jitender Girdhar for more

We are Family" is the biggest lie at work.

People need Respect and not emotional manipulation.

Employees don’t need a family at work.

They need a professional, respectful environment.

Let’s stop romanticizing the idea of “we’re all one big family.”

Workplaces aren’t families, they’re systems of mutual value and trust.

What employees truly need:

1. Clear Communication
↳ Confusion kills performance. Clarity builds confidence.

2. Fair Treatment
↳ Consistency in rules and respect, not favoritism or bias.

3. Trustworthy Leadership
↳ Someone who leads by example and keeps their word.

4. Support in Challenges
↳ Backing your team when times get tough isn’t optional, it’s leadership.

5. Recognition of Effort
↳ Even a simple “thank you” can fuel morale and loyalty.

6. Growth Opportunities
↳ Stagnation drives talent away. Growth keeps them inspired.

7. Healthy Boundaries
↳ Respect for time, space, and personal life is a must.

People don’t want a work family. 
They want a work culture built on respect, fairness, and growth.

💬 What do you value most in your workplace?

♻️ Repost to shift focus from “family” to "fairness"
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7 Ways a Boss can Kill your Career 
(Without Firing You)
#3 hurts the most.

The worst bosses don’t need to fire you.
They just quietly kill your growth.

Not every career ends with a resignation letter or a pink slip.

Sometimes, it’s death by a thousand cuts,
quiet actions from the person you report to.

Here’s how bosses hold people back 
without ever saying the words “you’re fired”:

1. By constantly micromanaging
↳ You don’t learn, you just follow orders.

2. By denying growth opportunities
↳ No training, no exposure, no projects that stretch your skills.

3. By blocking your visibility
↳ When your name is never mentioned in rooms that matter.

4. By taking credit for your work
↳ Nothing kills motivation faster than stolen recognition.

5. By discouraging your ideas
↳ “That won’t work”, repeated until you stop trying.

6. By withholding feedback
↳ No clarity, no direction, no chance to improve.

7. By making you too comfortable
↳ Promotions and raises never come where stagnation feels safe.

The hardest part? 
Many employees don’t realize it’s happening until years are lost.

A boss can be the biggest multiplier of your career, or its biggest barrier.

Have you ever experienced any of these silent career killers?

♻️ Repost to help more professionals spot these early
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7 Ways a Boss can Kill your Career  (Without Firing You)

Some people clap when you win, 
others clap because they expected you to lose.

Not everyone who smiles at you will root for you.

That’s why your circle matters more than your network.

Surround yourself with people 
who speak your name when you’re not in the room.

The kind who advocate for you even when there’s nothing in it for them.

Here’s what true supporters look like:

1. They celebrate your wins without envy
↳ Their applause is genuine, not strategic.

2. They mention your name in rooms you haven’t entered yet
↳ Because they believe opportunity should multiply, not compete.

3. They correct you privately but defend you publicly
↳ Loyalty isn’t loud; it’s consistent.

4. They push you toward growth, not comfort
↳ Real friends don’t flatter; they sharpen.

5. They remind you of your worth when you forget it yourself
↳ That’s what real encouragement sounds like.

You don’t need a big circle, just the right one.

Because one genuine advocate is worth more than fifty silent spectators.
Who’s that one person who always speaks up for you?

♻️ Repost to appreciate the people who root for others
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When you feel lost, don’t panic.
You’re just walking into the next version of you.

Feeling lost doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
It often means you’re growing beyond the map you once knew.

We’re taught to fear uncertainty, 
but it’s in those confusing, unplanned moments that we discover who we really are.

When you feel lost, remember:

1. Feeling lost doesn’t mean you’re broken
↳ It means life is pushing you toward a new version of yourself.

2. Confusion is a sign of growth
↳ You’re outgrowing what no longer fits you.

3. Stillness is not wasted time
↳ Sometimes the pause helps you hear what you’ve been ignoring.

4. The right path isn’t found, it’s built
↳ Every wrong turn adds a piece to the map.

5. Clarity comes after chaos
↳ But only if you keep moving, one small step at a time.

Feeling lost is not a setback.
It’s a sign you’re meant to find something new.

When was the last time getting lost led you to something better?

♻️ Repost to remind someone that feeling lost means evolving
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75% people quit their jobs because of bad bosses 

59% of employees feel micromanaged at work.

They call it culture to make it sound warm.
They call it family to make it sound safe.
They call it care to make it sound human.

But what you actually feel is control, pressure, and fear.

Because somewhere along the way, “culture” became compliance.
“Care” became control.

And “family” became favoritism.

Here’s how toxic cultures disguise themselves:

1. They call overwork “commitment”
↳ But it’s just burnout in a nicer font.

2. They call silence “respect”
↳ But it’s fear of speaking up.

3. They call control “guidance”
↳ But it’s micromanagement wrapped in concern.

4. They call chaos “flexibility”
↳ But it’s poor leadership without accountability.

5. They call loyalty “ownership”
↳ But it’s blind obedience rewarded over truth.

A healthy culture doesn’t need clever words.
It shows up in how people feel when no one’s watching.

Have you ever worked in a place that called itself “family” but felt the opposite?

♻️ Repost to remind everyone that culture is felt, not framed
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9 Things your Boss won’t Tell you

When they're not grooming you, they're using you.

Understanding these truths can help you take control of your career.

The workplace is full of hidden dynamics that can dictate your success. 

These 9 truths can help you take control of your career.

1. Loyalty Won’t Protect You From Layoffs
↳ Staying through thick and thin? It’s not always rewarded.
📌 Prioritize your growth, companies do the same.

2. Promotions Aren’t Always Fair
↳ The best talent doesn’t always get the title.
📌 Make moves that serve your career, not just the company.

3. They’re Watching You More Than You Think
↳ Every decision and hesitation is noticed.
📌 Maintain consistency; they remember both good and bad.

4. Raises Are About Timing, Not Just Hard Work
↳ Hard work helps, but timing seals the deal.
📌 Know when to ask and make it count.

5. Your Ideas Might Be Claimed as Theirs
↳ Contribution and recognition? Not always a package deal.
📌 Keep records, and don’t let credit slip away.

6. Weak Leaders Won’t Tolerate Strong Voices
↳ Speak up, and you might be seen as a threat.
📌 Know your audience and assess the risk.

7. They’re Aware of Your Weaknesses
↳ Your strengths are noted, but so are your flaws.
📌 Work on your weaknesses and own your growth story.

8. Burning Out Won’t Get You Respect
↳ Going above and beyond doesn’t guarantee admiration.
📌 Sustainable performance is more respected than burnout.

9. You’re Easier to Replace Than You Think
↳ Roles can refill fast, regardless of individual effort.
📌 Build transferable skills, don’t rely on job security alone.

You can understand these and take charge of your career.

Which of these resonated most with you and why?

♻️ Repost to help people grow in their careers
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Respect isn’t a reaction to status.
It’s a reflection of who you are when no one is watching.

They speak politely to someone senior.
They become formal with someone influential.
They stay neutral with peers.

And they become dismissive with juniors or support staff.

Same person.
Different tone.
Different energy.

That’s not professionalism.
That’s hierarchy disguised as behaviour.

Respect is not something you offer after checking someone’s job title.
Respect is not something you tailor based on influence.
Respect is not selective.

The truth is simple.
The way you speak to people who can’t “benefit” you
reveals more about your character than anything on your résumé.

Everyone deserves dignity.
Everyone deserves patience.
Everyone deserves a kind tone.
Everyone deserves to be treated as human first.
And when respect becomes a habit, things shift.

People feel safe.
Teams become easier to work with.
Trust grows without force.
Communication becomes honest.
Workplaces feel lighter.

Titles change.
Positions change.
Qualifications change.
Character doesn’t.

Respect is free.
Respect is powerful.
Respect is always the right choice.

💬 Have you seen someone being treated differently because of their title?

♻️ Repost to inspire others
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If you don't defend your team, you don't deserve to lead.

Real leaders protect, bosses abandon.

Managers who protect their teams are the real leaders.

Leadership isn’t about power; it’s about protection and empowerment.

The best managers shield their teams from toxic work environments that drain energy and kill motivation.

7 Toxic Workplace issues Great Leaders Guard Against:

1. Unrealistic Expectations
❌ Constant pressure to overdeliver leads to burnout.
✔️ They set achievable goals that balance ambition with well-being.

2. Micromanagement
❌ Controlling every detail crushes creativity and trust.
✔️ They empower their team to take ownership and make decisions.

3. Blame Culture
❌ Fear of failure stifles innovation and team morale.
✔️ They focus on solutions, not finger-pointing.

4. Unnecessary Distractions
❌ Endless meetings and interruptions drain productivity.
✔️ They respect focused work time and streamline communication.

5. Unclear Communication
❌ Confusion leads to mistakes and frustration.
✔️ They provide clear directions and ensure alignment on expectations.

6. Office Politics & Drama
❌ A toxic atmosphere creates stress and divides teams.
✔️ They promote transparency, fairness, and mutual respect.

7. Lack of Recognition
❌ Feeling undervalued leads to disengagement.
✔️ They regularly appreciate contributions and celebrate wins.

Real leaders create a workplace where people feel 
- safe, 
- supported, and 
- valued.

💬 Do you agree?

♻️ Repost to encourage better leadership.
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People don’t Quit Jobs

(They Quit these 9 Leadership Failures)

It’s not the work that drives people out, it’s the way they’re treated.

People don’t leave jobs, they leave cultures that fail them.

1. Lack of Recognition 
↳ Employees feel undervalued when their efforts go unnoticed.

2. Micromanagement 
↳ Excessive control kills motivation and trust.

3. Poor Communication 
↳ Lack of clarity leads to confusion and frustration.

4. No Growth Opportunities 
↳ Stagnation drives talent to seek better prospects.

5. Toxic Work Environment 
↳ Negativity and politics drain morale and productivity.

6. Lack of Trust 
↳ Employees won’t stay where they feel unsupported or doubted.

7. Unclear Expectations 
↳ Ambiguity leads to stress and inconsistent performance.

8. Ignoring Employee Well-being 
↳ Overworking staff without care leads to burnout.

9. Playing Favorites 
Unfair treatment breeds resentment and disengagement.

Great leaders don’t just fill positions; 
they create workplaces where people thrive.

Retention isn’t about offering perks, 
it’s about creating an environment where people want to stay.

What’s the biggest reason you’ve seen people leave a job? 

♻️ Repost to help build better workplace culture
➕ Follow Jitender Girdhar for more

Being an introvert doesn’t make you less of a leader,
your impact is what defines you.

Introverts aren’t quiet in leadership.
They’re powerful in a different way.

You don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room to lead.
Introverts often win trust through depth, not noise.

Their strength lies in focus, empathy, and thoughtful action.

Quiet people have the loudest minds
Introvert leaders speak volume without noise.

You can be an introvert and still:

1. Lead a team successfully
↳ Leadership is about guidance, not volume.

2. Speak up in meetings
↳ When you talk, your words carry weight.

3. Build strong relationships
↳ You connect deeply, not superficially.

4. Share bold ideas
↳ Thoughtful ideas can shake the room.

5. Influence decisions
↳ Insight often beats influence through force.

6. Stand your ground
↳ Quiet confidence is still unshakable.

7. Thrive in leadership roles
↳ Presence isn’t measured in decibels.

You don’t need volume to inspire respect.
Quiet leadership can shake the room.

Being introverted doesn’t limit leadership.
It can make it stronger, more intentional, and more human.

💬 Which of these points resonates most with you?

♻️ Repost to challenge leadership stereotypes
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7 Reasons Introverts make Unstoppable Leaders

Burnout impacts 77% of employees

A great leader is the ultimate cure for burnout.

A great salary and perks can’t fix a toxic work environment.

Your manager has a greater impact on your health than your doctor.

Here’s what good leaders do differently:
1. Set Clear Expectations
2. Respect Work-Life Boundaries
3. Provide Support, Not Just Criticism
4. Create Psychological Safety
5. Offer Growth Opportunities
6. Lead by Example
7. Genuinely Care About Employees

People don’t need perks to overcome burnout.
People just need leaders who:

❌ Don’t: Ignore signs of stress.
✔️ But: Actively care for their team’s mental health.

❌ Don’t: Value overwork more than well-being.
✔️ But: Encourage balance, both at work and at home.

❌ Don’t: Demand more than they give.
✔️ But: Create environments where people feel supported.

❌ Don’t: Treat performance as the only measure of value.
✔️ But: Recognize the whole person and their well-being.

❌ Don’t: Let burnout go unaddressed.
✔️ But: Treat it as a serious issue that requires attention and care.

For healthy, engaged teams, burnout isn’t an option, 
it’s a signal to lead better.

The deeper question:
Are we creating work environments that heal, 
or ones that burn people out?

♻️ Repost to highlight the importance of great leadership
➕ Follow Jitender Girdhar for more

When Effort > Growth, people quit.
When Growth > Effort, people stay.
That’s the real equation behind every resignation.

People don’t quit jobs.
- They quit the imbalance.
- They quit when they give more than they get.
- They quit when the scale tilts too far on one side.
- They quit when the system takes, but doesn’t return.
- They quit when progress stops showing up.

Imbalance looks like:
⚠️ Heavy workload, zero learning
⚠️ Big expectations, small appreciation
⚠️ Long hours, no support
⚠️ Constant stress, unclear direction
⚠️ Endless loyalty, no growth path

Balance looks like:
✔️ Fair effort
✔️ Visible progress
✔️ Respect that’s consistent
✔️ Growth that’s real
✔️ Leaders who show up

People aren’t asking for perfection.
They’re asking for a fair exchange.

Match effort with growth.
Match commitment with clarity.
Match responsibility with support.

Fix the imbalance
and people stay longer than any offer can tempt.

💬 Have you ever left a job because the scale tipped against you?

♻️ Repost to remind leaders: retention begins with balance.
➕ Follow Jitender Girdhar for more

Growth has one rule.
You can’t carry everything into your next chapter.

Life doesn’t deny growth.
It just keeps checking if you’re ready to let go.

Most people think they’re stuck because nothing is changing outside.
But the real pause usually happens inside.

Growth asks for space.
But space only appears when something is released.

- Let go of old habits that keep you small.
- Let go of the roles you’ve outgrown.
- Let go of relationships that drain more than they give.
- Let go of fears you’ve rehearsed for years.
- Let go of versions of yourself that no longer match who you’re becoming.

Life keeps sending the same situations
not to punish you
but to check if you’re done repeating the same response.

- Nothing new fits into a mind full of old patterns.
- Nothing better arrives when you’re holding onto what’s familiar.
- Nothing grows in soil that refuses to be turned.

Letting go is not loss.
It’s preparation.

Every breakthrough you want
is on the other side of something you still cling to.

Life isn’t delaying your growth
It’s waiting for you to free the space for it

Ask yourself today:
What do I need to release so I can grow?

💬 What’s one thing you had to let go of to move forward?

♻️ Repost if someone you care about needs this
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9 Signs your Boss is Holding you Back

(and how to deal with that)

1. Shuts Down Your Growth Opportunities
↳ If every project feels like a rerun, your career’s on pause.

2. Steals the Spotlight on Your Work
↳ Your boss shines, while you’re left in the shadows.

3. Keeps You Out of Important Circles
↳ Blocked from key meetings? Your influence is getting boxed in.

4. Shoots Down Your Ideas Constantly
↳ When every suggestion gets squashed, it’s a red flag.

5. Sabotages Your Promotions or Transfers
↳ "You're too valuable here" is code for "stay where you are."

6. Controls Every Move Instead of Guiding
↳ Micromanagement isn’t mentorship, it’s a power play.

7. Refuses to Acknowledge Your Wins
↳ Silence on your achievements speaks volumes.

8. Withholds Real Feedback
↳ No advice means no growth, keeping you right where you are.

9. Keeps You Comfortably Stuck
↳ When “steady” becomes stagnant, it’s time to consider an exit.

If any of these sound familiar, it may be time to question 
if your boss is invested in your growth or just their own.

10 Steps to Grow Your Career 
(Even When Your Boss isn’t Supporting You)

1. Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses
2. Seek Feedback from Trusted Colleagues
3. Identify Skill Gaps and Upskill
4. Build a Network Outside of Work
5. Start Documenting Your Achievements
6. Set Clear Career Goals
7. Develop a Personal Branding Strategy
8. Volunteer for High-Impact Projects
9. Develop Soft Skills
10. Stay Resilient and Open to Change

Which of these signs resonated most with you and why?
What do you expect from your leader?

♻️ Repost to promote great workplace culture
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9 Signs your Boss is Blocking your Growth

We all get the same 24 hours.
But how we think decides how far we go.

The 1% don’t chase balance.
They build habits that make balance unnecessary.

Here’s what separates motion from mastery:

1. Normal: Wait for motivation | Top 1%: Rely on discipline
↳ Motivation fades. Discipline builds momentum.

2. Normal: Fear failure | Top 1%: Learn from failure
↳ They fail fast, learn faster, and move again.

3. Normal: Chase quick results | Top 1%: Trust compounding
↳ They know small wins multiplied over time beat overnight success.

4. Normal: Avoid discomfort | Top 1%: Seek discomfort
↳ Growth starts where comfort ends.

5. Normal: Quit when bored | Top 1%: Win through repetition
↳ They don’t need excitement, they need results.

6. Normal: Think short-term | Top 1%: Think long-term
↳ Vision turns daily effort into lasting success.

Same 24 hours.
Different mindset.
Different life.

You don’t need more time.
You need a stronger mindset.

👉 Which mindset are you building this year?

♻️ Repost to help someone shift from average to exceptional
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