Stop with the "Family" Lie
A Company Is a Sports Team and What That Means for Everyone
16,000 layoffs at Amazon, and 2026 barely started. Over 100,000 job cuts in Big Tech in 2025. Amid the carnage, a couple of months ago, AT&T’s CEO declared in a memo, “Company Loyalty is dead.”
He's right. Just bringing to the forefront what many of us have thought, known, and seen for years.
So, what now?
First, we need to stop with the lie: a company is not a family. If you’re a leader and you say “family” and “our company” in the same sentence, please stop! Families don’t lay off family members when profits drop or when strategies change. Companies do.
But then, if a company is not a family, then what is it?
Work is such a big part of our adult lives; for many of us, it's never just a job, just a paycheck. We look for a sense of belonging, some kind of wellness, some way of thinking that what we do achieves something worthwhile.
I think the best analogy for a company is that of a Professional Sports Team.
Look at the best NBA players, the English Premier League, or the NFL. They all want their team to win. They show up to practice, always improve, and push themselves. They play well with their teammates. They root for the team, and the team invests deeply in their development, even knowing they might leave.
And everyone knows they could be traded, exchanged, or let go if their performance dips or the strategy changes. This season or the next.
This doesn’t make any player less committed. And it does not make any team more mechanical or indifferent.
Players are intentional and motivated because their career depends on it.
Companies care deeply for their players because their championship depends on them.
This is what replaces "Loyalty": Care and Clarity.
A company must care for its employees, respect and coach them, help them continually improve, push them, and reward them adequately.
Employees will do their best for themselves and for the team, and be clear-eyed and okay with the game.
I like this analogy. But now, I know what you’re thinking.
You say, sure, this analogy works great if you are a star player, someone highly skilled, with other teams ready to recruit you. But what about everyone else? The immense majority of solid performers, the B-players, the people just trying to make a living.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: the analogy applies to them too. Maybe even more so.
If you’re not a star, you’re even more vulnerable when strategies shift or budgets tighten. The “family” lie is most dangerous for the people who believe it, the ones who stay comfortable, stop developing their skills, and assume loyalty will protect them.
It won’t.
Whether you’re an A-player or a B-player, the message is the same: keep growing, keep your options open, and don’t mistake a job for security.
I’m not saying this is fair. But it is reality.
Founders and CEOs: Stop with the family lie. But invest deeply in your team: train them, push them, reward them well. Enjoy the wins when you’re together. Always respect them.
Employees (at any level): Care about your work and your company. Do your best. But also invest in your own development and marketability. No job is forever. Be ready for the next season, the next team.
The new deal is this: A company doesn’t owe you a permanent job, but it owes you respect and real investment in your growth. You owe it your best effort. And you owe yourself your own growth and continuous development.
In short, Care, Clarity, and Intentionality. That’s what replaces Loyalty.
