If you manage people, read this
Three stories about how leaders actually react when stakes rise
Hey there,
This week, we had what people like to call Blue Monday, supposedly the most depressing day of the year. I’m not sure I buy it. Especially if your team is fully remote.
From leading distributed teams, I’ve learned that mood and momentum depend more on clarity than on dates or office spaces. When people know what’s going on, what’s expected, and the direction ahead, distractions matter less.
That’s why these stories caught my attention this week. They highlight times when institutions, leaders, and companies face pressure and must respond while everyone is watching. AI adoption, capital discipline, and talent deals aren’t just trends—they affect how teams feel, how careers progress, and how trust is earned or lost.
Let’s get into it.
🌐 News Shortlist
1. AI anxiety is a leadership problem, not a technology one
Recap: A global Randstad Workmonitor survey of 27,000 employees found that 80 percent expect AI to change their daily work. Gen Z feels the most anxious about automation, while Baby Boomers are the most confident about adapting. Meanwhile, job postings asking for AI skills have increased quickly, but few workers have received formal AI training.
This newsletter has always stressed one thing: AI should help teams become stronger, not just reduce their size. The fear in this data makes sense. People naturally worry when they are unsure if the goal is to support them or to replace them.
The generational divide is clear. Older workers have seen many technology changes, from spreadsheets to cloud software to mobile devices. For them, AI is just another tool to learn. Younger workers are newer to their careers, often in jobs that can be automated, and they have had much less training. What seems like confidence or fear is really about experience and uncertainty.
For leaders, your intentions are important. If you want to use AI to boost speed and quality, not to cut jobs, you need to say so clearly. If you stay silent, people will make their own assumptions. When companies introduce new tools without explaining why, employees often fear the worst, especially since layoffs are now common after efficiency improvements.
Advice:
If you are bringing in AI and do not plan to reduce your team, say it early and plainly. Put money into training before buying new tools, and make sure everyone knows who is responsible. People trust leaders when they understand why a tool is being used and how it will change their job, not when they are left to figure it out on their own.
2. Argentina paid Washington back fast, and that changes how the market sees it
Recap: In late 2025, the U.S. Treasury extended a $20 billion currency swap line to Argentina to stabilize the peso ahead of critical elections. Argentina ultimately drew $2.5 billion from that facility and fully repaid it within a few months. U.S. officials publicly framed the repayment as evidence of improving financial discipline under President Javier Milei.
At first, many saw the swap line as a risky political and financial move. Most did not expect Argentina to act quickly or repay the money. The government’s fast repayment is more than just a technical success. It shows credibility.
We have watched Milei’s actions closely, including his risks and bold moves. Still, what matters is getting things done. Quickly paying back U.S. dollars, in a country known for defaults and capital controls, changes how investors and partners see risk. Argentina still has challenges, but the baseline has shifted.
This change is clear in hiring. Argentina has long been a top spot for remote talent. As the country becomes more stable, Argentine professionals are charging higher rates. This is not a problem—it means the market values their reliability, global skills, and ambition. You are paying more for people ready to compete worldwide, not for uncertainty.
Advice:
If you are hiring in Argentina, it is time to adjust your expectations. The era of big discounts due to economic turmoil is ending. Now, you will find a large group of skilled professionals who know how to work internationally and expect fair treatment. Over time, this shift benefits companies that value quality and long-term results.
3. The FTC is closing the acqui-hire loophole Big Tech relied on
Recap: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced it is increasing scrutiny of acqui-hire deals, arrangements where large tech companies buy a startup’s talent or license its technology without acquiring the company itself. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson said regulators are examining whether these deals are being used to bypass traditional antitrust review. Recent examples include Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Nvidia securing key talent or IP without full acquisitions.
Acqui-hires were not really about making innovation more efficient. They were about avoiding risk. As traditional mergers and acquisitions got slower, more public, and more regulated, Big Tech started buying results in parts—talent in one deal, IP in another—so they could avoid extra scrutiny.
Now, the risk is shifting. Big companies can handle more regulation, but founders cannot. If your exit plan relies on being quietly bought without much attention, that plan quickly becomes risky when regulators step in. What once seemed like smart deal-making now looks more like trying to get around the rules.
This pattern is nothing new. Shortcuts work only for a while. When regulators get involved, value returns to companies that build real products, earn real revenue, and have strong teams. Deals that only grab talent are easy for regulators to undo. Real businesses are much harder to overlook.
Advice:
If you are a founder, don’t assume a quiet acqui-hire will be an easy way out. Build something that can stand up to close review. If you are hiring, be ready for more competition for top talent in the open market. When loopholes close, the work still gets done, just in a more open and honest way.
That’s it for this week.
When things get tougher, shortcuts start to look appealing. Some leaders say less. Some organizations try to act quietly. Some markets change prices faster than people expect.
The companies that succeed aren’t always the fastest to react. Instead, they explain their choices clearly, invest where it counts, and build things that last when people start looking more closely.
If you’re considering hiring, team structure, or where to focus this year, now is a good time to slow down and think things through. Most problems I see aren’t caused by bad intentions, but by avoiding tough conversations.
If you’d like to discuss what this could mean for your team or your plans this year, feel free to reach out. My calendar is open.
Until next time,
Joseph Burns
CEO & Founder, Lupa