What to Unsubscribe

By Gary Burnison, Chief Executive Officer

March 26, 2025

Going to the gym? Sure. Eating healthier? No doubt another worthy undertaking for me that started when the year was new. Tackling those boxes that have been stacking up in my garage? Long overdue.

Now, with spring upon us, I’ve got my sights set on another pesky project: my personal email inbox, which has swelled to 22,572 messages and counting as of this writing.

You name it and it’s made its way to that inbox over the years. Products, promotions, political fundraising—promises to reverse aging and proclamations of me winning pretty much everything.  

Now, I am on a mission—scrolling to the bottom of each missive, evaluating its destiny—and, when the fate of the unneeded and unnecessary is determined, searching the fine print and clicking on the tiniest font possible: unsubscribe. Everything is on the table for omission—including that 30-day free trial to the obscure streaming service I signed up for to watch that one movie, that one night…two years ago.

There’s no luck, hope, or chance involved anymore. Every decision I am making is deliberate—and every delete, unsubscribe, and opt-out is intentional.

And that got me thinking…

As leaders, we all have those unwanted habits and behaviors that can subtly creep in and re-emerge. It’s time to weed out the worst—and keep only the best.

It’s been the topic of many conversations I’ve had lately. When I ask people what they want to unsubscribe from, the answers are telling:

Cancel trying to solve everything by ourselves—and create more collective leadership. Stop searching for certainty—and start navigating ambiguity with more curiosity and agility. Out with meaningless tracking—and in with meaningful context and perspective. Tune out the echo chambers—and tune in to more inclusive views.

Here we find subscribing in all its meanings—its very definitions. First, to subscribe means to sign up, putting our names on the bottom line. Second, when we subscribe
to a belief or philosophy, we embrace what matters most to each of us. And that takes awareness.

Every decision I am making is deliberate—and every delete, unsubscribe, and opt-out is intentional.

So, what’s on the list to unsubscribe? Here are some considerations:

Unsubscribe from simply hearing—and subscribe to really listening. It’s a common complaint: “You aren’t listening to me.” There is a world of difference between simply hearing and really listening, and particularly to what we don’t want to hear.

Uncheck being interesting—and double-click on being interested. Think of it this way: when we’re genuinely interested, we more easily relate to and connect with others. That’s how we foster new relationships. It’s Metcalfe’s Law in action, with the value of our networks growing with every connection we make—one relatable moment and conversation at a time.

Opt out of just performing—and opt in to transforming. It’s not enough to perform unless we simultaneously transform. Today, it’s all about an enterprise-focused approach—cascading connections, collaboration, and communication across the lattice. And it’s not as simple as leading across a matrix. It’s how we engage, innovate, and co-create with others.

Deactivate hunkering down—and activate taking risks. Given all the pressures in the world these days, it’s only natural to feel a little tempted to hunker down—or, as our firm’s psychologists call it, “reactive retreating.” The antidote? Re-engage. Yes, there are risks, but without risk, there is no growth.

Unsubscribe reliance on only what we know—and subscribe to what we don’t. Knowledge is what we know; wisdom is acknowledging what we don’t know. Learning is the bridge between the two. As our firm’s research has found, learning experiences boil down to three main ingredients: having motivation, developing abilities, and applying what’s been learned. The result is learning agility.

That’s the decision for all of us—intentional and deliberate. What to subscribe and unsubscribe in 2025 and beyond.

Read the new book from Gary Burnison: Love, Hope & Leadership: A Special Edition. Available where books are sold.

Photo credits: Sean Gladwell, Peter Pencil, Mammuth, Sanal Renk, Aliaksei Brouka, Daniel Sambraus, MVDC, Thomas Pajot/Getty Images