In this episode of Frequency, Jenni Field and Chuck Gose kick off 2026 with a frank check-in on how the year is going — personally and professionally — before diving into a stack of research that reveals just how disconnected leadership and employees have become.

The conversation opens with an article on millennial disengagement, where employees say the quiet part out loud: "my leader doesn't know me and doesn't care to know me." Jenni and Chuck explore whether curiosity can really be an antidote to stagnation, and what it takes for leaders to actually demonstrate they care.

They then tackle Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser's widely reported memo telling staff "we are not graded on effort" — and surprisingly land on the side of her directness. Sometimes, they argue, honesty about expectations beats the flowery alternative.

A DHR Global study sparks discussion on the culture gap between C-suite and entry-level employees, with 77% of execs calling culture "very important" while only 37% of junior staff agree. The disconnect gets sharper when nearly half of employees describe their culture as reactive and inconsistent.

Gallup's new span-of-control data brings the manager conversation back into focus, with average team sizes now at 12.1 — nearly 50% larger than a decade ago. Chuck breaks down the math: if you manage 10 people and give each just an hour a week, that's a quarter of your time before you even start your own work.

Finally, they examine a growing satisfaction gap between leaders and employees on change communication — a 30% divide in 2026 that shows no signs of slowing. The culprit? Communication built for leadership, not the people receiving it.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• 3 tips to replace employee stagnation with curiosity in 2026
• Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser warns of job cuts and says it's time to raise the bar in a fiery memo to staff: 'We are not graded on effort'
• Global Survey Reveals Workplace Culture Gulf Between Execs and Employees
• Span of Control: What's the Optimal Team Size for Managers?
• The satisfaction gap - what employees and leaders think good communication looks like (Lars Hancke)