The Discipline Debate: Are Standards Lost on Today’s Workforce?

What does respect really mean in today’s workplace?

In this episode of The Counter Offer, Susanna Gray and Tiarna McCormack dive deep into everything from Tiarna’s transformative two months in Bali to Susanna’s viral LinkedIn post that sparked a fierce debate about flexibility, standards, and respect between managers and employees. They tackle the clash of generations in recruitment, how hybrid work is reshaping culture, why discipline and self-respect still matter, and even how dating feels eerily similar to modern hiring.

Equal parts personal, professional, and provocative, this conversation strips back the layers on what recruiters, leaders, and individuals need to thrive in 2025.

Must-Hear Insights and Key Moments

• • Bali Reset – Tiarna shares how her time in Bali helped her find calm, clarity, and new ways to approach work-life balance.
  • Sound Healing & Stillness – Exploring how intentional rest and alternative wellness practices can reset the mind for performance.
  • The Viral LinkedIn Post – Susanna recounts how one simple post about workplace respect ignited over 300,000 impressions and a storm of opinions.
  • Respect vs Flexibility – Susanna and Tiarna debate whether employees should ask for flexibility or tell their managers, exposing generational divides.
  • Discipline, Standards & Self-Respect – A fiery exchange on why showing up, dressing well, and being punctual still matter.
  • Hybrid Work & New Generations – How Gen Z’s expectations and AI-driven change are forcing companies to rethink culture.
  • Dating & Recruitment Parallels – Tiarna compares the swipe culture of dating apps with transactional recruitment, and why deeper connections matter.
  • The Solopreneur Life – Both hosts reflect on the challenges and freedoms of running your own business, balancing independence with discipline.

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  Words of Wisdom: Standout Quotes from This Episode

  
  

  • “If you create an environment of trust and autonomy, people often deliver their best work.” – Tiarna McCormack

  • “I hate being late. To me, it’s disrespectful—it’s not just about time, it’s about respect.” – Tiarna McCormack

  • “Hybrid working isn’t going away. The smartest organizations are adapting, not resisting.” – Tiarna McCormack

  • “Dating feels just like recruitment—everything’s so transactional when what people need is connection.” – Tiarna McCormack

  • “If you don’t have discipline and standards, what do you really have?” – Susanna Gray

  • “Your goal isn’t too big—your strategy is too vague.” – Susanna Gray

  • “I love when people challenge my opinion. That’s the only way we grow as humans.” – Susanna Gray

  • “Sometimes being vulnerable and cringe online is exactly what builds your personal brand.” – Susanna Gray

  • “The younger generation needs to learn discomfort—every great career starts with the hard, unglamorous jobs.” – Susanna Gray

  
  

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