The stories we tell about work shape how we lead, grow and respond to change.

At this year's AHRI National Convention and Exhibition, several speakers challenged some of the assumptions many organisations still rely on. The message was simple: if we want workplaces that are adaptable, human and future-ready, we may need to rewrite some long-standing narratives.

Is growth really a destination we eventually reach?

Growth is often presented as a clear path towards success. In reality, growth can feel uncertain, uncomfortable and disruptive. According to Whitney Johnson, that discomfort is often a sign that learning is happening.

Many professionals expect growth to feel rewarding from the start. Yet Johnson's S-curve of learning suggests that growth moves through distinct stages: the launch point, the sweet spot and mastery.

Most of us are on several learning curves at once. We might feel highly capable in one area while simultaneously feeling uncertain in another. Recognising this can help normalise the discomfort that comes with learning something new.

Johnson highlighted three ways people can move forward:

• Create opportunities rather than compete for existing ones

• Lean into distinctive strengths

• Use constraints as a catalyst for creativity

As she noted, growth is rarely about avoiding discomfort. More often, it involves letting go of the version of ourselves that feels safe and familiar.

Why do leaders still feel pressure to be heroes?

Many organisations still operate with outdated leadership archetypes rooted in hierarchy, authority and individual achievement. Yet modern leadership demands something different.

Wojciech Materka argues that leadership should be understood as a shared process built through relationships, not simply a collection of personal traits or titles.

Traditional leadership development has focused heavily on individual capability. Despite significant global investment, organisations continue to report gaps in leadership effectiveness.

Modern leaders are increasingly required to:

• Help teams make sense of uncertainty

• Create psychological safety

• Hold space for difficult emotions

• Support collective problem-solving

Transformation often generates anxiety, frustration and ambiguity. Effective leadership is less about having all the answers and more about helping people navigate complexity together.

Does HR really own organisational culture?

Culture is frequently treated as something HR must design, manage and maintain. But Isa Notermans challenges that assumption.

Culture is not a product that can be rolled out through a framework or policy. It emerges through everyday interactions, decisions and behaviours across an organisation.

When organisations place sole responsibility for culture on HR, they can unintentionally create dependency. Instead, HR's role may be better described as stewardship rather than ownership.

That means creating environments that are:

• Safe for different perspectives

• Curious and adaptable

• Open to learning

• Flexible enough to evolve over time

Notermans suggests that a little friction can be healthy. Rough edges often create space for innovation, adaptability and shared responsibility.

Is AI really taking people's jobs?

The narrative that AI is simply replacing people has become one of the most common workplace stories of the past few years. Dr Catherine Ball believes that story is incomplete.

Technology itself does not make organisational decisions. Leaders do.

Describing roles as being "lost to AI" can shift accountability away from the choices organisations make about how technology is implemented. This distinction influences trust, engagement and how people respond to change.

Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for human capability, Ball encourages organisations to see it as a tool that expands what people can achieve.

This perspective changes the conversation from reduction to augmentation.

It also challenges another common assumption. Organisations may not need a standalone AI strategy. Instead, AI should be integrated into broader business strategy alongside workforce planning, productivity, ethics, sustainability and culture.

The focus shifts from technology itself to the outcomes organisations are trying to achieve.

How can HR help rewrite workplace narratives?

HR professionals are uniquely positioned to influence how organisations interpret change.

That means identifying stories that no longer serve the business and replacing them with narratives grounded in today's realities.

This could include:

• Viewing growth as an ongoing journey rather than a destination

• Seeing leadership as relational rather than hierarchical

• Treating culture as a shared responsibility

• Framing AI as a tool for human potential rather than a threat

The organisations that navigate disruption most effectively may be those willing to challenge inherited assumptions and create space for new stories to emerge.

FAQ

What is the S-curve of learning?

The S-curve of learning is a model introduced by Whitney Johnson that maps the stages of growth from starting something new, through building competence, to achieving mastery.

Why is relational leadership becoming more important?

Modern workplaces are increasingly complex and uncertain. Relational leadership helps leaders create trust, support dialogue and help teams navigate change together.

Should HR own organisational culture?

Culture influences every part of an organisation, but it cannot be controlled by HR alone. HR can help create the conditions where culture emerges and evolves, while responsibility remains shared across leaders and teams.

How should organisations talk about AI?

Rather than framing AI as a replacement for people, organisations can focus on how technology supports productivity, capability and new opportunities.

What outdated workplace stories should organisations challenge?

Some common examples include viewing growth as linear, leadership as hierarchical, culture as HR's responsibility alone and AI as an inevitable driver of job loss.

Source: 4 outdated stories about work that hold organisations back, Phoebe Armstrong & Kate Neilson, AHRI

What's Next?

• If you are leader wanting to improve your leadership capabilities or a HR professional wanting to improve capabilities of you leadership team, I can provide you a free strategy session to find solutions that work for you or your team. Book Your Call Here

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