Looking Back At The Top Articles From 2025
A retrospective on the articles and ideas that resonated most this year.
Each year, I like to take a look back at which articles have resonated with readers the most. I began last year with a look at the retail landscape and what I thought 2025 would bring. Certainly, change remained the constant, and AI was a dominant topic throughout the year. That initial look last January remained a popular article all year. I do plan to make that an annual look, with different views and versions of it this year and going forward. You will be able to find the full, detailed look for 2026 on my consulting firm's website, Accents Enterprises, by early February.
Another popular topic was the look at the state of hiring in 2025. To say it is challenging for both jobseekers and hiring manager is an understatement. I experienced first hand last year the ups and downs of being a jobseeker in the early age of AI automation. This is still a messy situation, and I believe it will take time to sort it out. Unfortunately, that probably means that both sides will remain frustrated by the process for at least another year.
The rest of the top articles hit on various leadership topics. Regular favorites, about the Chick-fil-a experience and customer service tips from Ritz-Carlton remain very popular, but I excluded from the list since I’ve covered them the last few years. It is nice to have several new articles make the top article list for 2025. Here quick summaries and links to each of the top ten articles of 2025.
1. The State of Retail in 2025: Challenges, Success Stories, and Strategies
Published: January 2025
Summary: This article sets the stage for the year by analyzing the contraction in the retail market, including a surge in layoffs and rising wage pressures. It highlights success stories from retailers like Costco and Trader Joe’s that bucked industry trends and offers strategies for leaders to navigate economic anxiety and operational hurdles.
2. The State of Hiring and Finding Work in 2025
Published: August 2025
Summary: A deep dive into the disconnect between employers and jobseekers. The article discusses how the cost of "bad hires" has made managers risk-averse, leading to lengthy hiring processes and "ghosting" of candidates. It emphasizes that despite a larger talent pool, the gap between people and hiring processes has widened.
3. The Great Disconnect: Why Hiring and Job Hunting in 2025 Feels Broken for Everyone
Published: August 2025
Summary: Expanding on the hiring theme, this piece explores the friction in the recruitment process. It examines the "paradox" where hiring managers feel overwhelmed by applications (often AI-generated) yet struggle to find qualified candidates, largely due to reliance on impersonal Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and a lack of clear communication.
4. The Hiring Process Is Broken. Here’s How We Fix It.
Published: August 2025
Summary: Offering actionable solutions to the hiring crisis, this article advises leaders to rewrite job descriptions to focus on outcomes rather than wish lists. It suggests being transparent about salary and process expectations to attract better candidates and reduce the noise of unqualified applications.
5. The One Investment That Guarantees Better Employees
Published: August 2025
Summary: This article argues that in a turbulent market, "decent pay" is no longer enough to attract top talent. It advocates for the "ABC" approach (Always Be 'Cruitin) and emphasizes that leaders must have a clear vision of what a "great" associate looks like to build a pipeline of talent before a crisis hits.
6. What Bad Bosses Taught Me About Great Leadership
Published: April 2025
Summary: A reflective piece on learning what not to do. It outlines common pitfalls like micromanagement and information hoarding. The article argues that avoiding these behaviors—by giving teams space and communicating details openly—builds trust and drives better results than traditional "command and control" styles.
7. Strengthen Your Leadership and Teams with the Vision, Intention, and Enable (VIE) Framework
Published: January 2025
Summary: This article introduces a practical leadership framework adapted from Dallas Willard. It breaks down leadership into three components: setting a clear Vision, committing to it with Intention, and Enabling the team with the right tools and support to execute it effectively.
8. Reading Recap: The Leadership Books That Left a Lasting Impact in 2024
Published: January 2025
Summary: A curated list of impactful books reviewed at the start of the year. It highlights titles like Win Every Day by Mark Miller for habit building, Know What Matters by Ron Shaich for decision-making, and Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg for mastering connection and communication.
Oddly, I didn’t read nearly as much in 2025, instead spending more time on writing and reading short-form articles. I do plan to get back on track in 2026 and have several books lined up to start the year.
9. iPadOS Gives You A Whole New Experience
Published: November 2025
Summary: A tech-focused review of the latest iPadOS update. The article discusses how the new operating system bridges the gap between tablet and computer for professional workflows, offering a "fresh" experience that enhances productivity for mobile retail leaders.
10. Who is the Most Important Person in Your Development?
Published: 2025
Summary: A motivational piece asserting that the reader (the leader themselves) is the primary driver of their own growth. It encourages leaders to treat personal development as an active "adventure" rather than a passive requirement, emphasizing that no one else can care more about your career growth than you do.
I am looking forward to new topics and new ideas for the website as the year progresses. This will be the year I get some additional resources, courses, and more information that leaders can use to help develop their teams. My commitment is to building Effective Retail Leader as a destination for aspiring leaders who want to do more, whether they are just beginning or already seasoned in their roles looking to improve further. On to the new year.
Did you have any favorite articles from last year?
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