How are you fighting back?

We feel it in every part of our life and work.
Something has shifted.
Candidates are holding back.
Clients are becoming more transactional.
Recruiters are guarding their leads like they’re secrets.

It’s starting to feel like we’re playing chess instead of building relationships, And honestly, it has me worried because this mindset isn’t staying in the workplace.
It’s seeping through into our personal lives too.
I see it in how my teenager handles everyday situations—more strategic, more guarded, less open.
It’s subtle, but it’s there.

And while that might make sense in a world increasingly ruled by algorithms, it’s not helping anyone win in the long run.

Why is this happening?

As one does in this era, I asked ChatGPT the following question: 'Does the divide and conquer idea work? Is it a good long-term strategy?'

Here’s ChatGPT’s reply:

1. In Politics or Social Strategy

Definition: Deliberately creating divisions among groups to prevent them from uniting against a common power.
Short-Term: Yes, it can be very effective. Keeping groups fragmented allows leaders to maintain control.
Long-Term: Generally unsustainable. It breeds distrust, resentment, and instability. Over time, the divided may unite—against the manipulator.

2. In Management or Organizations

Definition: Structuring teams to avoid overlap or conflict.
Short-Term: Can improve focus and efficiency.
Long-Term: If done transparently, it can work. But if it involves manipulation or secrecy, it erodes trust and collaboration.

3. In Algorithms and Computing

Definition: Solving problems by breaking them into smaller sub-problems.
Short-Term & Long-Term: Highly effective and scalable. It’s a foundational strategy in computer science.

So… why is this showing up in recruitment—and even at home?

Because we’re letting the metrics run the mission.

In politics, in work, in life.

We’re tuning our behavior to what the dashboards want—at the cost of what humans need.

Recruitment, just like our personal lives, isn’t only about logistics.
It’s emotional.
It’s about trust. Timing. Gut feeling.
It can be messy—and that’s okay.

But when we let “divide and conquer” set the tone, we strip the soul out of the work.
We turn people into checkboxes, conversations into transactions and partnerships into power plays.

Let’s not feed that monster.

This isn’t about going soft. It’s about being smart—long term.
The recruiters, clients, and candidates who choose connection over mind games?

They’ll be the ones still standing.

We don’t have to accept this shift as inevitable.
We can choose a different way—one rooted in trust, transparency, and humanity.

So tell me—how are you fighting back?