Help Wanted – "Reacting to the 'Did Women Ruin the Workplace?' Headline"
Podcast: Help Wanted by Money News Network
Date: November 11, 2025
Hosts: Jason Feifer (Entrepreneur Editor-in-Chief), Nicole Lapin (Money Expert)
Producer/Contributor: Morgan Lavoy

Episode Overview

This episode centers around the controversial New York Times headline "Did Women Ruin the Workplace?", later adjusted to "Did Liberal Feminism Ruin the Workplace?". Jason and Nicole dissect the implications behind such a question, debunk simplistic narratives about gender and workplace culture, and reflect on personal experiences as leaders. They critically examine cultural expectations, leadership styles, and whether "softness" or feelings in the workplace represent a female influence or a broader, more nuanced shift in how we work.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Headline’s Controversy and Origins

• Jason introduces the fiery New York Times headline and its quick edit, noting, “I mean, if you’re going to write a headline like that, you have to know what you’re doing.” (05:07)
• Both hosts admit not listening to the full conversation behind the headline, but proceed to discuss its cultural resonance.

2. Summary of the Argument (06:00–07:19)

• The idea being discussed: The workplace has become more traditionally "feminine"—softer, more focused on feelings—allegedly as a result of women entering the workforce or the spread of liberal feminism.
• Nicole: “The argument being that men prioritize success and women prioritize everybody... getting along or something.” (06:20)

3. The "Like Me" vs. "Respect Me" Dilemma

• Nicole reflects on the tension she feels as a woman leader: “Do I want to be respected or liked? … When I go more into the like-me category, I’m not able to focus as much on the bottom line...” (07:27–08:10)
• Nicole shares how she struggles with balancing efficiency and warmth in meetings, especially as an entrepreneur responsible for her team's welfare.

4. Meeting Culture as a Microcosm (08:42–11:13)

• Small talk and chit chat at the start of Zoom meetings serve as a focal point for how “softness”—often coded as “feminine”—enters the workplace.
• Morgan (producer) joins via Zoom and observes: “We have someone on our team who starts our calls by saying how beautiful everyone looks... which I would say is a specifically female experience.” (10:44)
• Nicole admits: “I’m just not a super big fan [of small talk]. I care that everybody had an amazing weekend, but we have things to do.” (09:18)

5. Perception, Gender, and Leadership Styles

• Nicole: “There is an expectation that you ask about how everyone’s doing... but you’re not being hurt by not playing into that.” (11:13)
• Morgan reassures Nicole that her direct style isn’t off-putting: “It never strikes me as off putting or callous... If anything, it’s just good leadership.” (11:13–12:34)
• The group discusses whether social expectations around warmth and emotional labor differ for women and men in leadership.

6. Jason’s Theories on Workplace Change

Theory 1: Chit chat is about waiting for the leader, not gender.

• “The chit chat at the beginning is because everyone is waiting for the leader to take control... I don’t think that’s gendered.” (13:46–14:35)

Theory 2: Siloed work drives small talk, not feminism.

• Jason argues that the rise of digital, remote work leaves fewer opportunities for informal connection, so people naturally crave small talk during meetings, regardless of gender: “The moments in which individuals on a team connect at all... is in group calls.” (16:49–19:23)

Theory 3: The implied contrast is false.

• He debunks the idea that male-only workspaces are more productive or less “soft”: “Having worked at many male-dominated places... they function exactly the same.” (23:05–27:13)
• Jason describes all-male meetings where the leader prompts small talk about personal and professional highlights—“I love this. It gives us time to connect outside of... the transactionalness of running a business.” (25:00 approx.)

7. Emotional Labor & Gendered Worry

• Nicole is candid about the anxiety she feels over being seen as insensitive if she skips personal check-ins: “Do you ever have anxiety that you are being insensitive? … I do.” (15:20)
• Jason, in contrast, doesn’t worry about his directness and jokes, “I am a warrior. That’s true.” (15:34)

8. Impact of ‘Feelings’ on Innovation & Productivity

• Jason questions the premise that feelings have weakened the workplace: “We’ve built the world’s largest companies ever... with this kind of culture. So it just doesn’t make sense to me that we’ve ruined workplace culture if it is succeeding.” (26:45–27:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jason (on attention-grabbing headlines): “You can’t actually even say that something lit up the Internet because the Internet is just always lit up with rage.” (04:54)
• Nicole (on leadership pressure): “There often are times where I have to ask myself, do I want to be respected or liked?” (07:27)
• Morgan (on team expectations): “If we had any men on these calls, the calls might start looking very differently.” (11:04)
• Jason (debunking gendered small talk): “I just don’t believe in the implied contrast here. I just don’t think this is a true statement about how things used to be or how things would be otherwise.” (26:45)
• Nicole (on leadership worry): “I have clearly spent more time than Jason worrying about this, when I could be using that cognitive load to do other things.” (22:53)
• Jason (embracing the ‘warrior’ mindset): “Nicole and Morgan, don’t you dare tell me what happened over your weekend. I don’t give a crap. That is the warrior mindset, and I’m sticking with it.” (28:43)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Headline Introduction & Context: 04:42–05:34
• Summary of NYT Argument: 06:00–06:46
• Nicole’s Leadership Reflection: 07:27–08:10
• Zoom Meeting Culture & Small Talk Debate: 08:42–11:13
• Team Perceptions (with Morgan’s input): 11:13–12:34
• Jason’s Theory 1 (Chit chat & Leadership): 13:46–14:35
• Theory 2 (Remote Work & Small Talk): 16:00–19:23
• Nicole on Emotional Labor: 15:20–15:34, 22:53
• Theory 3 (Debunking Gendered Workplaces): 23:05–27:13
• Warrior Mindset & Playful Conclusion: 27:13–29:09

Tone & Style

The conversation is casual, witty, slightly irreverent, and self-aware, with both hosts joking about cultural stereotypes while being honest about their own experiences as leaders. There’s a playful yet incisive approach to dissecting workplace dynamics, leaving listeners with practical insight and a rebuttal to shallow gendered narratives about professional culture.

Takeaways

• The premise that "women ruined the workplace" is reductive and unsupported.
• Leadership style and team warmth are complex issues rooted in modern work structures and individual preferences—not simply gender.
• Women leaders often feel extra pressure to display warmth, but directness is not inherently off-putting or gendered.
• Small talk and rapport-building exist in all-male and mixed-gender workspaces.
• True workplace success lies in balancing efficiency and connection, regardless of gender norms.