The Death of Corporate Career
Welcome to issue #14 of Referee Playbook. A short letter that helps sports fans understand the view of a referee.
Do You Wear a White Collar to Work?
Calendar jam packed full of meaningless meetings?
Rush through morning commutes?
Forward emails to nowhere?
The death of your career has already begun, assuming you haven’t already silently quit.
The Corporate Ladder is Crumbling – Are You Ready for the AI Wake-Up Call?
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The Corporate Noose: A Six-Year Commute to Nowhere
I lived the corporate career life for 6 years.
For 6 years, I forced myself to get out of bed in the morning. Shower, shave, put a tie on like a noose around my neck.
Force feed myself in a rush to sit in commuter traffic. Sign myself in on an office white board as if I was a factory worker.
I vividly remember every day on my commute, verbally reciting reasons to myself why I was putting myself through it. Why I needed the paycheck, what it meant for my future.
Convincing myself why it was all worth it.
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Nodding to Nonsense: The Corporate Charade
I found myself nodding along in meetings to absolute nonsense – Because admitting to it being nonsense meant risking my paycheck, my performance review, or my standing in the pecking order of nonsense.
It was often a complete charade. A shared illusion of keeping the appearance of being busy. But everyone’s in on it.
Everyone knew their daily contributions were largely meaningless.
Forwarding emails
Drafting decision making briefings
Meetings preparing for meetings
Reformatting slide decks
Scheduling follow up meeting
Updating spreadsheets no one reads
Polishing internal newsletters no one opens
Anything to project a measure of importance and value.
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The Silent Quit Slow Dance
Over half of the staff, the ‘lifers’ were completely disengaged.
They hadn’t quit, that would be too bold, and far too risky. But mentally checked out, still parading within the charade because their mortgage payments depended on it.
Middle managers created ‘System Reviews’, ‘Improvement Plans’ from non-events, non-issues, non-problems to justify the next PowerPoint slide deck and endless workshops.
But this wasn’t incompetence, it was enabled survival. Managers playing a game to keep their seats within the hierarchy, but the incoming audience?
AI and cost cutting CEOs aren’t clapping anymore.
So, what’s your exit strategy?
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Here’s the Wake-Up Call – AI is Coming for You
Picture this.
You’re a middle manager, or mid-tier professional. You studied for 3-5 years, your 5+ or maybe even 10+ years’ experience now and making decent money.
You haven’t 100% joined the Silent Quit Brigade, just getting buy with minimal effort as your office beer and wine gut swells, just as quickly as your super market budget.
I have news for you – AI is coming.
It’s already drafting reports, scheduling your 19 weekly meetings, and analyzing the data you spent 80k on a university degree to get your head around.
Faster, cheaper, without coffee breaks or meaningless watercooler chat.
If your role feels like you already cruising on autopilot – You’re on the chopping block.
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The Good News? This isn’t the end
This is your chance to break free from begging for time off, and asking permission to go and get a hair-cut.
Stop seeing your nonsense job title as an identity; see it as a tool.
Use that salary to fund your side hustle, learn AI skills, or explore what lights you up.
I’ve spent the last 4 years re-training in Adult Education, Coaching, Officiating and Sport Development. These areas fuel my flame, they don’t feel like work, and drive me toward my own independence.
Why stay chained to a desk when I could run my own coaching business, teach online, or help professionals realign their outlooks on work in an unsettled future.
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The Corporate Ladder is about to Collapse
And AI is holding the sledgehammer. People are already Pivoting
Don’t become the older manager in your mid 40s or 50s filled with regret and 2 or 3 hollow decades spent at a desk they would replace you at within 28 days if you died.
The new generations view their careers now as launch pads.
They view AI as their savior, not their enemy. Embracing new tools, automating nonsense tasks, and building lives where their work funds meaning – not drains it.
The questions aren’t “Will AI take my job? It’s “What am I waiting for”?
AI is not the villain, it’s the mirror showing you you’ve been sleepwalking.
The real threat is staying checked out.
So what’s next for you?