#016 - Working more and earning less, quiet ambition, and meetings that never end

Are you getting back what you actually give?Three topics that look different on the surface. One question connecting all of them. This episode covers productivity, ambition, and meetings, and what they share in common: value being extracted without being returned.The Bureau of Labor Statistics published in May 2026 that the share of economic output going to workers fell to 54.1%, the lowest recorded value since 1947. Workers are generating more value per hour worked. And receiving proportionally less than at any other point in modern history.At the same time, a phenomenon called quiet ambition is growing quietly across organizations. High-performing professionals are consciously choosing not to pursue promotion. They are not disengaged. They reached a conclusion: being excellent at what they do is worth more than being average at what the company wants them to do.And then meetings. The average knowledge worker spends 392 hours a year in meetings, the equivalent of ten full workweeks. 72% of those meetings are ineffective, according to Atlassian research with 5,000 professionals across four continents. The annual cost in the US alone is estimated at $37 billion. And that cost does not appear on any balance sheet.Meller Notes is here, curating content on career, leadership, and management for your personal and professional development.Sources:Bureau of Labor Statistics, Productivity and Costs Q1 2026: bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_05072026.htmIndeed Hiring Lab: hiringlab.org/2026/05/07/q1-2026-productivity-and-costs-releaseEngagedly, The Rise of Quiet Ambition: engagedly.com/blog/rise-of-quiet-ambitionFlowtrace State of Meetings: flowtrace.co/collaboration-blog/50-meeting-statisticsAtlassian Workplace Woes: atlassian.com