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To celebrate and acknowledge the history and creativity of Black voices, The Independent Picture House in Charlotte has put together a series of films with showtime extras to spark learning and discussion for people of all backgrounds.
This series, presented by IPH, is an opportunity for the community to engage beyond simply the experience of seeing a film on the big screen. Each film was carefully selected by de’Angelo Dia, the Director of Education & Community Engagement at IPH, and the creative director and operations team at IPH.
“For this particular series, it was important to me that these films are invitational to wherever individuals may be on the spectrum of their growth and awareness,” Dia said about the series. “I also did not want to have films that individuals would assume were making a monolithic experience of what it means to embody Blackness.”
“I don’t think one film in singularity can really examine, affirm, challenge our notion, our thoughts about what it means to live within the Black embodiment and the Black experience, specifically in this country. So that was the reason for this series,” he continued.
Kicking off the series on Jan. 30 is Do the Right Thing, directed by Spike Lee and originally released in 1989. The dark comedy is set on the streets of the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn as hate boils and builds until it finally explodes into violence. This film is perfect for anyone wanting not only to celebrate culture, but also to examine the complexities of pain and celebration coexisting.
Master is a psychological horror film directed by Mariama Diallo. The film follows three women as they strive to find their place at an elite Northeastern university, just as anonymous racist attacks start to target a Black freshman who insists she is being haunted by ghosts. This film has two showings, Feb. 6 and Feb. 11, and is perfect for those who love horror and want to observe the genre from a different perspective.
Opening on Feb. 13 is Juice, directed by Ernest R. Dickerson. In this Dark Comedy and Psychological Action Thriller, four inner-city teenagers get caught up in the pursuit of power and happiness, which they refer to as “the juice.”
Uptight is the oldest film in the series, first released in 1968. The movie was directed by Jules Dassin and is praised as a landmark collaboration between activist and actress Ruby Dee and the director. This dramatic thriller, based on the 1935 classic, “The Informer,” shows how Black revolutionaries are betrayed by one of their own.
The final movie in this special limited time line-up is One Night in Miami… Directed by Regina King, this drama is the fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered to discuss their roles in the Civil Rights Movement and cultural shake-up of the ’60s.
Each showing will be followed by a post-film discussion with background and featuring knowledgeable members of the community relevant to the film — perfect for anyone looking for more ways to discuss and learn while connecting with others.
All films are rated R and may not be suitable for children.
While February is a month to elevate and celebrate Black history, the IPH team presents films that showcase Black artistry throughout the year. Keep up with what is happening at IPH and support the nonprofit as it continues to screen diverse, foreign, arthouse and independent films focused on educating, engaging, and enabling individuals through the powerful medium of film at independentpicturehouse.org.
Nothing exploded. No one yelled. However, the energy was tense. People talked past each other, and several commitments quietly evaporated once the meeting ended. Later that day, the manager said, “This is what culture damage looks like before it becomes culture collapse.”
You don’t lose a healthy workplace all at once. You lose it through small, repeated behaviors that go unaddressed—missed responsibilities, defensive reactions, and negativity that spreads faster than motivation.
Recent research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) shows that teams with unresolved behavior issues experience significantly higher disengagement and turnover—not because employees are “bad,” but because accountability is unclear and leaders hesitate to intervene.
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That’s where you come in. Because whether you’re leading a team or simply influencing the people around you, culture is shaped by what you tolerate.
The most damaging behaviors aren’t the loud ones
In my own experience, I have found that teams suffer most not from isolated misconduct, but from persistent low-grade behavior problems that drain energy and trust over time. In other words, culture erodes quietly.
The good news? You can stop that erosion faster than you think. Here are seven actions you can take right now to protect (and repair) your workplace culture:
A Reddit member writes: I manage a product development team of ten. One person is objectively our top performer, smart, fast, clean work. A huge asset. But lately they’re totally disengaged. We’re doing this big all-hands effort to refine our long term vision, and they treat these sessions like optional homework. Sits there, phone under the table, contributes nothing. When I ask for input, “Looks fine!!.” that’s it.
They crush the technical work but seem to have zero interest in the why, the mission, the team, their own career path. I tried the usual stuff: more recognition, promotion talk (which they deflected immediately), giving them a project to lead. Nothing. Here’s the weird part: they light up talking about their hobbies. Building a gaming PC, super into it. But work stuff? Completely flat.
I’m worried this is burnout, but I don’t know how to have that conversation without sounding like I’m accusing them of being a bad teammate. I get the sense they need autonomy and complex problems and maybe our current focus on collaborative vision work feels like a waste of their time. But I don’t know how to dig into that without it getting weird.
How do you have a coaching conversation about motivation that goes deeper than why aren’t you engaged?
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Minda Zetlin responds:
First of all, you’re doing something that’s very human but not very helpful. In the absence of clear information, you’re filling in the blanks yourself to try and guess what’s going on with this employee. You speculate that the problem might be burnout, or a need for more autonomy, or disinterest in working in a group to strategize a vision of the future.
Any or all of those could be true. Or maybe they broke up with their partner, lost a beloved pet, or have a new and all-consuming relationship in the gaming community. They may even have applied for a different job and are marking time until they give notice. You don’t know what you don’t know.
You have to talk things out with this employee, and they don’t seem to want that conversation. That’s always a tough situation both at work and in your personal life. But you need to find a way to make it happen.
Take the conversation out of the office.
From your question, your objective here is to reach this employee and bring them back to their former level of engagement, not initiate a disciplinary situation. With that in mind, here are a few suggestions. First, take the conversation out of the office setting if you can. Ask the employee out for lunch, or coffee, or for a walk, as Steve Jobs used to do. That may make it easier for them to talk to you, and it should be a clear signal that your intentions are benign.
Next, since they light up around the topic of building gaming PCs, begin by engaging them on that. Letting them talk about their passion may help them talk to you on other topics as well. As one commenter noted, listening carefully to what they say about gaming might also give you a clue to what is on their mind, and how to re-engage them.
Try some open-ended questions.
After that, I’d recommend some very open-ended questions. Since they’re resisting the group vision work, ask for their honest opinion of that initiative. In a one-on-one conversation, they might be willing to say more than “Looks fine!!” If that truly is part of the problem, offering to let them opt out of the group planning work, and perhaps replace it with a more technical task, could be helpful. As several commenters noted, not everyone wants to be a leader, or to participate in strategic planning.
Or, you could say something as simple as, “I feel like something’s changed with you lately. I’m wondering how you’re doing, what’s going on, and whether there’s anything I can do to help?”
The most important thing is this: Your goal is to talk as little as possible and listen as much as possible. The employee might open up and you may leave with a clear plan to re-ignite their enthusiasm. Or they might keep things to themselves. If you listen closely, you should still end up with a better idea of what to do than you have right now.
Got an ethical dilemma of your own? Send it to Minda at minda@mindazetlin.com. She may address it in a future column.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
For those leading a multigenerational workforce, connecting with and engaging Gen-Z employees may prove to be a challenge. While every generation works differently, there has been a noticeable rift between the work style of Gen-Z and that of Millennials or Gen-X.
Born between the mid to late 1990s and early 2010s, Gen-Z comprises approximately 27 percent of the global workforce and is expected to account for two-thirds within a few years. Surveys show that Gen-Z workers value authenticity, transparency, personal growth, and other aspects that may not be highlighted in traditional workplaces. It’s no wonder that traditional leaders have found difficulty in communicating with this sector of workers.
The question is, as a non-Gen-Z leader, how can you manage these workers most effectively? The following are specific tools I give my clients to build their relationships with Gen-Z employees.
Step into their shoes.
Before trying to “fix” what they are or aren’t doing, take a step back and look at things from their point of view. Ask yourself: What do your Gen-Z employees value? How do they like to communicate? Understanding their perspective is the first step toward bridging the gap.
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1. Lead with authenticity and clarity.
Gen-Z grew up in the age of information overload. They’ve spent years filtering through noise to decipher what’s real and what’s not. That means they have a finely tuned radar for vague or inauthentic messaging. For example, the practice of large corporations laying off workers without reasoning or direct communication doesn’t fly with Gen-Z. This method leaves a negative impact on those left to fend for themselves.
As a leader, you’ll earn their respect by being transparent. When you make a decision, don’t just share what you’ve decided, explain why you made that choice. If you’re still working through something, simply say so. Overcommunication is favorable.
Admitting you don’t have all the answers doesn’t undermine your authority. Instead, it builds credibility. For example, if you need to fire an underperformer, be honest with them. To take it a step further, drop performance reviews and instill a culture of feedback that allows for a constant flow of both positive and negative conversations. Once established, your employees won’t be surprised if they are cut. They will know it’s coming.
2. Encourage dialogue, not hierarchy.
Gen-Z thrives in environments where ideas flow freely, and collaboration outweighs hierarchy. They don’t want to feel less respected and seen as “kids” due to their age and experience, but rather as equal adults who have a seat at the table.
Before finalizing a project or policy, invite their input. Ask questions like:
“Can I get your opinion on this?”
“How would you approach this challenge?”
When they see their feedback being heard and acted on, engagement will naturally increase. It’s not about giving up control—it’s about co-creating success rather than using a top-down approach.
3. Meet them where they are—digitally.
This generation communicates differently, to say the least. Quick, visual, and efficient is the norm. Slack messages, voice notes, or short videos may feel informal to some leaders, but to Gen-Z, these are legitimate everyday tools for productivity and connection.
Instead of dismissing these habits as “unprofessional,” be open to their value. Ask how they use these platforms to collaborate or learn. You might uncover new ways to improve communication across your whole organization.
Remember, it’s not about replacing traditional communication. It’s about broadening it. Communicating in person will always be most effective, so you can also educate younger generations in the value of non-tech communication.
The future of the workplace with Gen-Z
Gen Z is redefining what effective communication looks like at work.They crave authenticity, value inclusion, and expect technology to make things easier, not harder. If you can adapt your leadership style to meet them half-way, you’ll not only strengthen employee engagement and commitment, you’ll also cultivate a culture that’s built for longevity.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
Matters of style aside, Steve Jobs was an exceptionally effective leader at both Apple and Pixar. But would he have been as effective at, say, General Motors? Or Pepsi?
As the researchers write, “If your boss could do your job, you’re more likely to be happy at work.”
You’re also more likely to be happy if your boss was promoted from within, rather than hired from the outside. A Joblist study found that nearly 70 percent of respondents preferred to be managed by a seasoned company vet who “climbed the ranks” rather than an external hire.
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Even if the external hire brought “proven talent” to the role.
Not only did respondents think hiring from within was the better path to growth, they also took outside hires personally: 35 percent had quit, or at least considered quitting, when passed over for someone outside the organization.
But wait, there’s more: internal promotions led employees to report higher productivity, greater loyalty to the organization, and that they had a better relationship with their (internally hired) manager.
Internally hired leaders agree: they reported feeling more supported and respected by their teams, and more likely to describe their teams as high-performing. (Granted, which may have more to do with their tendency to embrace “this is how we do it around here” expectations than with objective, measurable outcomes.)
Keep in mind there were situations where respondents felt external hires made better sense. Like when an essential employee with specific, not internally replaceable, skills leaves the company.
Or, although this wasn’t included in the study, if you as the employer are unhappy with your company’s culture.
Culture isn’t what you say it is; culture is what you and your employees do. Bringing in people who embody the culture you hope to build may be the best way to effect long-term change.
But otherwise, you’re likely to be more successful when you promote from within, because when you get those promotions right, the effect on productivity, job satisfaction, and employee retention can be dramatic.
A survey of over 400,000 people across the U.S. found that when employees believe promotions are managed effectively, they are more than twice as likely to give extra effort at work and to plan for having a long-term future with their company.
Plus, when employees believe promotions are managed effectively, they are more than five times as likely to believe their leaders act with integrity.
At those companies, employee turnover rates are half that of other companies in the same industry. Productivity, innovation, and growth metrics outperform the competition. (For public companies, stock returns are almost 3X times the market average.)
So before you reflexively look outside your business to “bring in new talent” or “benefit from outside perspectives” or “inject fresh blood into the company,” take a step back and look at the criteria you will use to make the promotion or hiring decision.
Instead of focusing on “qualifications,” determine what the perfect person in the job will actually do.
If teamwork matters most, promote the best team player. If productivity matters most, promote your most effective employee. Getting the right things done — whatever those outcomes may be for the open position — matters most.
If you truly can’t find that person within your organization, then feel free to look outside. In that case, your employees will understand, and will realize that your goal is always to find the best possible person for the job.
And because that person knows their stuff, and uses that knowledge to get things done, they will fit in just fine.
But then take a look at how you’re developing people: unless you’re hiring someone to fill a role new to your company, you clearly need to work harder to help the people you already have learn new skills.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
A few years ago, I visited two companies in the same industry, just a few miles apart. They shared industry challenges and had similar products and customers. On the surface, these companies were identical. Inside, they were opposites.
At Company A, people moved quickly but mechanically—heads down and voices flat. When I asked one frontline employee how things were going, he shrugged and said, “It’s a job.” The work got done, but the place felt expressionless and drained of energy.
From the second I walked in, Company B buzzed with life. People compared notes on a customer request, riffing together on a new idea, and others laughed in passing, pulling to the side to check in. When I asked the same question there, an employee smiled and said, “We’re making money by making our customers happy. It’s not always easy, but what we do matters.”
The difference wasn’t salary or perks. It was leadership. Company A treated people like hired hands or task takers. Company B treated people like partners or trusted contributors with responsibility and a voice in shaping their organization’s future.
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What keeps engagement stagnant
“Hired hand” is a farm term: extra labor, brought in to get the job done, not to help run things long-term. Many workplaces still operate that way. Employees follow orders, get measured on compliance, and rarely get asked how to better serve customers. Even popular engagement tools like Gallup’s Q12 emphasize “feel” over the economic game. Customers and profit aren’t a focus. So people stay on the sidelines instead of in the huddle.
Leaders have measured employee engagement for decades. The trend line, however, is stubborn. Gallup reports that global engagement dipped again in 2024, and managers saw the sharpest drop. That matters because disengagement doesn’t stay in one seat. Instead, it spreads. Even customers sense you’re going through the motions, and ideas dry up because people don’t feel safe or valued. Lean or AI show up as threats, not tools. Then comes turnover, and every exit drains talent and trust.
People don’t want to be “hands”
Humans want to contribute to something bigger. William Kahn’s foundational research on engagement describes people “bringing their full selves” to role performance when conditions support meaning, safety, and availability. Decades later, Dan Pink popularized a similar trio: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. The throughline: when work is reduced to transactions—do the task, get the paycheck—motivation flattens.
The real question leaders must ask is, “Am I treating employees like laborers or partners?” The fix isn’t another program. It’s engaging your employees in the purpose of the business itself. As I’ve written about in Harvard Business Review, work must become more than a paycheck.
Economic engagement connects every person to how the company serves customers profitably. People see the scoreboard or how value is created, learn to read it, help improve it, and share in the reward of that improvement. When leaders make this shift, compliance turns into commitment. Research shows that profits follow.
Two proof points leaders can use
WD-40’s learning-obsessed culture: Under longtime CEO Garry Ridge, WD-40 built a “tribal” culture that prizes learning and contribution. HBR chronicled how the company created psychological safety, invited ideas from everywhere, and aligned recognition with customer-focused results—supporting both growth and retention. The lesson for smaller firms is that you don’t need a giant HR department to build a high-engagement shop. Instead, you need rituals that teach, include, and celebrate progress.
New Belgium Brewing ownership culture: The craft brewery company uses ownership and open-book habits to create businesspeople at every level. For years, employees reviewed financials together and shared results through an ESOP. They trained everyone to think in terms of margins, cash, and customer outcomes. A 2025 Rutgers case documents how those practices built a resilient, growth-minded culture—even as the ownership structure evolved.
The playbook: Make economic engagement real this month
Well-intentioned engagement efforts often stop at how people feel instead of true economic transparency and understanding or how people win. Feel-good perks can help, but they’re not a substitute for connecting the day’s work to customer value and profitability. If people don’t see the scoreboard, don’t help set the plays, and don’t share the win, they’ll act like spectators, even if they’re enthusiastic about the department barbecue.
Put customers and profit on the wall, literally. Choose a visible, teachable metric that tells the story of serving customers profitably, such as on-time delivery, first-call resolution, gross margin, and new customer acquisition. Teach what moves this metric. Update the numbers weekly; discuss results, good and bad, with the team.
Use transparency as a tool. You don’t need to publish salaries. You do need to explain how revenue becomes profit and cash, and where your constraints are. Then, invite teams to find and fix one bottleneck per quarter or focus on one key metric that changes concrete financial outcomes.
Tie upside to outcomes. Create simple gain-share or team bonus plans tied to the line-of-sight metrics. When the scoreboard improves beyond a threshold, everyone earns. Shared success turns “their profits” into “our wins.” HBR has documented performance lifts when employees have a stake and understand the economics.
Upgrade manager conversations. Gallup research shows engaged managers are pivotal. Require brief, regular check-ins that connect the person’s work to customer outcomes and to the weekly numbers. Train managers to ask their partners, “What’s one idea to move the metric?”
Celebrate learning, not just wins. Steal a page from WD-40. Normalize learning with blame-free language. When you miss the mark, run a postmortem and take notes. The message to your employees is that contribution beats perfection, and there’s always something to learn.
What it feels like when it works
When people see how the business works and how they can move it, the room changes. Meetings shift from stale reporting to group problem-solving. “That’s above my pay grade” turns into, “Here’s what I’m trying.” Engagement stops being a program you run on employees and becomes the way you run the business with them.
I call this crossing the line from “hired hands” to having “partners on the payroll.” That’s economic engagement: employees deeply connected to serving customers profitably, with the information and incentives to act. It’s how you convert energy into outcomes and how you build a business that lasts.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
Most discussions of stress at work focus on how strains in the workplace might be worsening due to some societal effects, or how it can drive some unexpected employee behavior. There’s ample advice on tackling and lessening the impacts of stress in the workplace. But a new report published in the journal of the American Psychological Association concludes that some kinds of stress can be useful on the job. Next time someone stresses out in your office, it might be helpful to recall this slightly contrarian perspective.
The research from Portland State University highlights two different types of stresses: “challenge stresses,” which can represent “favorable” social exchanges between employees and the organization, and “hindrance” stresses — the kind we usually associate with the word stress, and which represent “unfavorable” exchanges.
The interesting stress effect here is, of course, the challenging one. Here a stressful interaction can actually cause someone to experience “emotional uplifts,” science news site Phys.org notes.
The situation is nuanced because a stressful moment isn’t by nature a happy experience, and contrasts, for example, to a work event that’s clearly positive, like earning a long hoped-for promotion. What’s actually happening is that after a stressor an employee feels more positive emotions than negative ones.
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You can certainly imagine situations at work that fit this description: for example, think of the time you were chosen to lead a particularly difficult project even though you may have felt you lacked confidence. As the project progressed you probably encountered numerous stressful triggers, but as it ended and you realized you’d succeeded, you felt relieved and probably proud and satisfied.
On the flip side are hindrance stresses, which you’ve most certainlyexperienced. An example could be an employer making a decision from on high, with little or no consultation, and rolling out a brand new AI tool without providing clear guidelines or proper training. That might be followed by a demand that employees use it to deliver improved results or higher efficiency despite a lack of guidance. The frustrations of a situation like this outweigh any wins, such as the satisfaction of teaching yourself to use the new tool, and overall may actually reduce worker motivation.
So far, this sounds like long-winded university research that just supports established common sense.
But the key point of the study is its findings on how workers’ motivations play into their reactions to stressful workplace changes, Phys.org notes. Workers who have a mindset that sees work as an opportunity to grow themselves and maybe advance up the ladder reacted more positively to challenge stressors, the psychologists found. Employees who tend to be more conservative and happier when their work routines do not change, or present unexpected challenges, are more likely to react badly when they experience a hindrance stress.
And this is where there’s a clear conclusion that might be very helpful for your own workforce.
Not all stressful moments are the same, and not all workers react to similar stresses in the same way — each brings their own mindset.
If you seek a harmonious workforce that gets motivation from stressful situations to drive themselves forward, the authors suggest tricks like deliberately framing a tricky project as an opportunity for growth, and maybe even a way to earn advancement. This may help your workers feel more positively when they encounter unavoidable frustrations. You can also diminish the chance of “hindrance” situations by good communication, making it very clear which workers have which responsibilities, and by dumping bureaucracy that could get in the way.
Essentially this is an interesting spin on earlier research that links employee happiness and boosted productivity. Happier workers are more engaged, and one sure fire way to keep workers happy is to help them tackle stresses in a productive way — perhaps by promising meaningful perks, or by simple, strong and clear leadership.
As Steve Jobs said, asking for help is “what separates, sometimes, the people who do things from the people who just dream about them.”
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So if you need something, asking politely is effective. (As Mark Cuban says, being nice is one of the most underrated skills in business.)
But providing a reason is even more effective.
As described in Robert Cialdini’s book Influence, researchers asked people to try to butt in line to use a copier, using one of three phrases.
Phrase 1: “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?”
The result? Sixty percent of the people standing in line let the individual in ahead of them. Most people like to be nice, or, at the very least, like to avoid confrontation.
Phrase 2: “I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I am in a rush?”
The result? Ninety-four percent of the people standing in line let the individual in ahead of them. Also makes sense; most people like to be helpful.
Phrase 3: “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make copies?” The result? Ninety-three percent of the people standing in line let the individual go ahead of them.
Which makes no sense. The second phrase provides a real reason; you’re in a hurry. The third phrase is where things get goofy: everyone in line needs to make copies, otherwise they wouldn’t be in line. “I have to make copies” isn’t a reason to jump ahead, yet nearly everyone let that person cut the line.
Why? As Cialdini writes, “A well-known principle of human behavior says that when we ask someone to do us a favor we will be more successful if we provide a reason. People simply like to have reasons for what they do.”
Whenever you want the people you lead to do something — to do anything — always include the word “because.” But don’t stop there. Make sure your “because” is clear, logical, and compelling.
Then people will want to work with you, not just for you.
Could
After you describe a problem, you ask, “What should we do?”
The first thing you should do is subsitute “could” for “should.” Research shows “should” typically limits possibilities by implying a finite set of choices. A study published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processesfound that using “should” typically results in people coming up with just two choices, which limits you to an either/or decision.
Unfortunately, most leaders tend to use “should” when they ask for input or feedback. If you’ve given the issue some thought, sifted through possibilities, and come up with what you feel are the two best options, you naturally present the solution as an either/or.
Considering what one could do shifts people from analyzing and weighing what they assume to be fixed and mutually exclusive alternatives to generating options that might reconcile underlying imperatives. Having a “could” mindset helps individuals engage in divergent thinking. [And] in group contexts, we find that adopting a could mindset encouraged individuals to spend more time discussing these dilemmas and generating more ideas.
The next time you encounter a problem, don’t think, “What should I do?”
And definitely don’t say, “What should we do?” Just state the problem, without in any way implying you have the answer, and ask, “What could we do?”
You’ll get much better input.
Together
Teams obviously work together, or at least should. Yet stating the obvious by using the word “together” can cause people to work harder, longer, and more effectively.
A study published in Journal of Experimental Social Psychology placed participants in two groups. The members of one group worked on a task on their own, while the other group was told they would work on the task “together,” and could ask for tips from team members.
When the results were tallied, the people who heard the word “together”
Worked almost 50 percent longer
Solved more problems correctly
Found it easier to stick with the task
Said the task was more “interesting,” and were more likely to perform that task again
Social cues that signal an invitation to work with others can fuel intrinsic motivation even when people work alone. The results suggest that cues of working together can inspire intrinsic motivation, turning work into play.
Not sure about the whole “play” thing where work is concerned, but feeling like you’re a part of a team — feeling like you’re a part of something bigger than yourself — makes a huge difference.
Say you’re forming a team. Don’t just tell people they’ll be a member of the team. Don’t just tell them what they need to accomplish. Say they’ll work on the project together. Say they’ll achieve the outcome together.
Science says they’ll likely work harder, longer, and better.
And will also enjoy the task, and being part of a team, a lot more.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
In late 2024 experts predicted that in early 2025, employee engagement would be a key driver for success in a period when many expected rapid business growth. Engagement is an important measure of how “bought in” workers are to the company they’re working for: more engaged workers just go that little bit further, which ultimately contributes to driving up revenues and profits.
But by April a Gallup survey was showing that employee engagement scores had dropped globally, to the point that U.S. and Canadian engagement had declined to levels more typical of Latin America. The study found disaffection was starting at the top, noting that the “primary cause for the global decline in engagement,” was a “drop in managers’ engagement,” and pointing out that “no other worker category experienced as significant a decline in engagement as the world’s managers.”
Now a new survey adds a fascinating wrinkle, showing that nearly half of leaders (46 percent) would actually quit their top-tier roles if it meant that they would actually feel more engaged at work. In other words, they’d give up their title in order to feel more valued, productive, or perhaps more part of a team. Does this mean the allure of management-grade perks is fading? And what does it mean for your company?
That data, from Norwegian learning platform Kahoot!, is startling. Just 47 percent of UK and U.S. company leaders surveyed said they were “fully engaged,” and this is a dramatic contrast to the views of their teams, with 79 percent of the leaders believing their teams would see them as “energized.” Worse, the report notes that 34 percent of leaders said they felt burned out on a daily basis, or at least several times a week, and 22 percent — over one in five — said they felt “emotionally disconnected” from their teams “often” or “always” during the previous six months, HCAMag reported. This will likely play into the way they interact with their teams, since workers inevitably can pick up on the subtle emotional undercurrents behind managers’ actions, and this could easily demotivate front-line workers.
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The study found, somewhat bleakly, that the leading causes of managerial burnout included “emotional exhaustion from trying to motivate disengaged employees,” along with having to cope with “nonstop change” and the persistent old saw, “economic uncertainty.” Mainly middle managers said they had concerns about “feeling invisible or undervalued by executive leadership.” The major culprits behind leadership burnout included “juggling engagement with too many other priorities,” with 48 percent of those surveyed agreeing with this, even as 48 percent highlighted pressures of responding to employee apathy, and 28 percent cited problems with continuously trying to get Gen-Z workers engaged.
The new survey also found possible causes of this sagging sense of connection, noting that 57 percent of the leaders surveyed hadn’t received “extensive” training on how to reengage disengaged teams, and just 17 percent said their company always backed them up by providing effective team motivation tools.
More interestingly, and offering a potential insight into some of the ill-advised pushes to get workers to return to the office, the study also found one in four leaders said they’re not “confident” about leading hybrid or remote teams, so that many “improvise at a time when alignment mattered most.” This confidence gap is, of course, going to add to leadership stress — particularly as data show that hybrid and remote working models really are here to stay, and can even be more productive under some circumstances.
As to what would turn things around for leaders, the survey showed 58 percent of leaders looking for more energy, creativity or fun in daily tasks. Meanwhile 52 percent wanted to grow their own skills, resonating with a recent report that showed managers feel simply too busy in day-to-day tasks, such as arranging training for their subordinates, to do their own training or seek mentorship.
All told, the report paints a picture of sort of workplace spiral. where employee engagement is suffering, leading to stressed-out, overburdened management and leadership who are losing touch with the joy of work. The top-down disaffection then fuels wider employee disengagement, reducing team effectiveness.
What can you take away from this for your company? You may, after all, be feeling in good spirits about your leadership duties, and of the opinion your workers are cheery and as engaged as they can be with their jobs.
Engagement is a somewhat abstract measure of your workplace culture and employees’ emotional states. Thus it’s possible that everything seems to be ticking along happily on the surface, but key managers and even others on your leadership team are quietly “cracking” under stresses they’re not voicing aloud. Savvy leaders would know to seek help if they’re feeling overburdened or disengaged with their job, and also to check in regularly with their managers and workers to see how they’re feeling — under a no-blame banner.
BITLIS, TURKIYE – SEPTEMBER 8: Students are seen as 2025-2026 academic year starts in Bitlis, Turkiye on September 8, 2025. (Photo by Berfin Sidar Asit/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Anadolu via Getty Images
A new report and survey from Discovery Education ought to be a reminder that there is a secret sauce for scholastic success – student engagement.
Engagement is the single most important learning light switch. Without engagement switched on, no novel curriculum, no education technology, no proven pedagogy will get very far. Said another way, engagement is not sufficient for learning. But it’s pretty nearly required.
In the new report, Discovery surveyed K-12 students, teachers, school and system administrators and family caregivers about engagement. The results are important and interesting and worth a review.
Generally, it finds that student engagement peaks in elementary school, declines significantly in secondary school, and then ticks slightly upward again in high school.
In what may be a lesson for curriculum and pedagogy in the crucial middle school years, the report suggests that the high school engagement bump may be related to, “increased autonomy, more relevant coursework, or stronger identity development. These findings align with some developmental frameworks, such as self-determination theory that shows when adolescent learners experience autonomy, competence, and relevance, their intrinsic motivation is more likely to increase, especially if learning feels meaningful or future focused.”
In addition to underscoring the pivotal nature of engagement, the Discovery report also surfaces what may be disconnects between how teachers literally observe and recognize student engagement and how students report that they see it.
Teachers, for example, see engagement as class participation – activities such as asking questions or working on class projects. But the survey implies that these proxies for student engagement may be incomplete, at least according to students.
“Nearly 80% of teachers report that students often zone out, yet fewer than half of students say the same. This mismatch suggests that teachers may mistake quiet or internalized forms of engagement, like reflecting, imagining, or self-directing, as disengagement or a lack of motivation because these behaviors are harder to notice in the moment,” the report says.
It continues, “This gap highlights a key tension in how engagement is recognized and expressed. Asking questions requires not just curiosity, but also social confidence and a classroom environment where students feel comfortable speaking up. Many students want to contribute but feel too shy or nervous, especially in middle school. This highlights that lack of verbal participation doesn’t equal lack of engagement.”
And that, “there is a noticeable 22-point gap between how much students value class participation and how often they actually engage in it, suggesting that while students understand its importance, social factors like peer judgment, fear of being wrong, or discomfort speaking up may hold them back.”
The survey also digs into a primary ingredient of school engagement, motivation. But here too, the report shows a disjointed view.
For example, the report says, “When asked about barriers, over one-third of education leaders and half of teachers cite low motivation as the primary challenge to engagement, yet only 16% of students agree.”
Students also say that internal motivations “such as personal satisfaction and interest in subject matter [are] highly motivating.” And that, “86% of students believe that personal satisfaction is very motivating for schoolwork.”
Using these data, the report says that teachers and schools can do more to tap into these internal motivations and deliver higher engagement by making lessons and assignments more challenging and personally interesting. “Together, these findings suggest that what educators may interpret as disinterest often reflects a lack of relevance, personal connection, or appropriate challenge in the learning experience,” the report says.
“These findings align with recent Gallup research which consistently shows that students report higher levels of intrinsic motivation and a desire for meaningful, challenging work, even as educators continue to view low motivation as a top concern. Similarly, a classroom study found that students motivated by genuine interest or personal value in the work most often showed authentic, lasting engagement, while those driven mainly by external rewards or pressure tended toward surface-level or withdrawn participation,” the report also found.
The Discovery report also warns about the long-term motivation damage caused by compliance-based school activities such as homework.
The report says, “Engagement researchers have defined this dynamic of simultaneous workload and boredom as passenger mode. Students show up, follow instructions, and complete homework, but they do so passively, without taking initiative or feeling personally or cognitively connected to their learning. Over time, this leaves students feeling both overwhelmed and bored, unsure of the purpose behind what they’re asked to do and increasingly checked out.”
But what, in addition to more motivating and interesting classroom activities, can boost student engagement?
According to the report, teachers say time – they need more time to prepare for classes and invest in engaging students directly in the classroom.
Also, literally everyone in the survey says more money is needed to upgrade and improve the engagement potential of classroom activities. “Stakeholders widely agree on a major barrier: limited classroom resources,” the report finds. “While 81% of students and 79% of parents recognize this challenge, educators feel it even more acutely. Eighty-four percent of teachers and 80% of principals report limited resources as a barrier, with superintendents citing it most strongly at 95%. This consistent pattern underscores that resource constraints continue to limit schools’ ability to support deeper student engagement.”
If you follow education, little of that is surprising. Schools need more money. Teachers need more time. And everyone needs to find the best ways to pull more motivation and engagement from students.
But that should not in any way minimize the importance of the findings. Especially now, as education distractions are everywhere, it’s crucial to remember what really works in classrooms – or what does not work. And almost nothing we try to do in a classroom works when students are not motivated and engaged.
A wheelchair-dependent man with multiple sclerosis refused to let his disability stop him from getting down on one knee to propose.
Living with multiple sclerosis has been a difficult challenge for Cody Guinn, 38, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2015. As his mobility has deteriorated, he has had to adapt his life in many ways, including using a power wheelchair and doing physical therapy two to three times a week.
There has always been one gesture that he was unwilling to sacrifice, however, and that was getting on one knee to propose. Guinn, of Oregon, told Newsweek that proposing on one knee is “a sign of respect” to the love of his life, Maisy Kucera, and he knew he wanted to find a way to make it happen.
“I was raised with traditional values and morals, which I still respect,” Guinn said. “I think it’s important for younger generations to see that play out.”
From left: Maisy Kucera and Cody Guinn work with the physiotherapist during a session; and smile after the proposal. From left: Maisy Kucera and Cody Guinn work with the physiotherapist during a session; and smile after the proposal. @guinnsjourneyzz / TikTok
On June 19, Kucera, 24, was at one of Guinn’s physical therapy sessions and she was asked to assist. At the time, Guinn was out of his wheelchair and was kneeling beside a box, while Kucera stood in front of him—only to be stunned by the sight of a small ring box in her partner’s palm.
Guinn knew he wouldn’t be able to get down on one knee anywhere else, so he made sure to use the physical therapy to his advantage. Although it was somewhat painful for Guinn to do, he said it was “so worth it.”
Kucera told Newsweek that it was the “perfect setup for the proposal” and she wasn’t expecting it.
Multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune condition, causes the immune system to mistakenly attack myelin cells, which are protective covers surrounding the brain and spinal cord nerves. The damage interrupts the signals that nerves send throughout the body to perform functions such as vision, sensation and movement.
While there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, The Mayo Clinic says that almost 1 million adults in the U.S. are living with the condition. Symptoms include fatigue, vision changes, muscle weakness, stiffness, numbness or pain, loss of balance, and difficulty with cognitive function. The couple, who have been together for less than a year, are planning to tie the knot in October 2025.
The footage of Guinn’s romantic proposal was shared on his TikTok account (@guinnsjourneyzz) and it has melted millions of hearts online. In a matter of days, the clip went viral with over 1.5 million views and more than 246,100 likes at the time of writing.
The online response has been incredibly positive and supportive of the couple, who continue to document their journey on social media to show the realities of living with multiple sclerosis.
Kucera said: “We have felt immense love and support from our online community and hope to continue to connect with people from all around the world too can relate to our story.”
Internet users have praised Guinn’s romantic gesture, leading to more than 720 comments on the viral TikTok video so far.
One comment reads: “As a therapist I would literally be sobbing in the back and unable to contain myself. Congratulations to you both.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “That was the most precious proposal omg.”
A third person responded: “Bawling [because] you know he put in so much effort to perfect that stance, congratulations.”
One commenter added: “How beautiful is this?! That’s a real love right there.”
Do you have any viral videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.
Pop superstar Taylor Swift has been falsely accused of a laundry list of absurdities: Doing “satanic rituals” at her shows. Being a government “psyop.” But this time, the news about her is true: She’s engaged to be married.
Swift posted a series of photos on Instagram Aug. 26, showing her engagement to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who is also no stranger to being targeted by misinformation. Even Kelce’s father, Ed, has occasionally fallen for false headlines about the couple.
We looked back at their love story through the lens of claims that would’ve, could’ve, should’ve been true, but weren’t.
Swift wasn’t banned from Chiefs games
Rumors of a Swift-Kelce romance began in August 2023, and proved true the following month when Swift attended a Chiefs game against the Chicago Bears.
Since then, social media posts have often falsely declared that Swift was banned from football games. One June 2024 variation said conservative commentator Candace Owens tried to ban Swift from the NFL because of being “awfully woke,” but that originated with satire.
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A year after Swift started attending Chiefs games, Facebook posts broke what seemed like the salacious news that Kansas City Chiefs Coach Andy Reid criticized Swift for not being a “good role model.” And another Facebook post said the Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt banned Swift from attending games, supposedly calling her the team’s “biggest distraction.”
But these claims appeared on satire pages, too, and were reshared without that context. Reid had previously praised Swift, saying he thinks her relationship with Kelce was “great for him,” and Hunt said the two make a “fantastic couple.” We rated the claims False.
Swift and Kelce didn’t respond to controversial Elon Musk statement
During the 2024 presidential election, Swift endorsed Democratic nominee and then-Vice President Kamala Harris, which elicited a controversial reaction from billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, then a supporter of Republican candidate Donald Trump.
“Fine Taylor … you win … I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life,” Musk wrote in a Sept. 11, 2024, X post.
Social media posts got in on the action, proclaiming that Kelce then threatened that he could “twist (Musk) into a pretzel.” But PolitiFact found no evidence Kelce made such a post.
A separate claim said Swift responded to Musk’s post by saying she’s happy to take Musk’s estranged transgender daughter and “give her all the love and respect she deserves.” But our sweep of Swift’s social media statements showed the superstar didn’t say that.
Another claim in November 2024 said Kelce announced he was leaving X, which Musk owns, calling it Musk’s “hate machine” and a “‘toxic waste dump’ after his scathing and hurtful comments about Taylor Swift.” We found no such announcement from Kelce, either.
Claims circulated about Swift’s politics and relationships with other celebrities
In October 2024, a Facebook post said Swift broke down, apologizing and asking Kelce for forgiveness as she admitted to “having done immoral things” with disgraced music magnate Sean “Diddy” Combs. But we found no news reports, statements or interview footage that prove she said that.
In February, the Chiefs faced off with the Philadelphia Eagles for Super Bowl LIX, which the Eagles won. But days before the game, a rumor circulated that Swift was banned from attending, because she was “distracting and woke.” But there was no proof of that. On game day, Swift, a Pennsylvania native, was in attendance, enduring boos from the crowd.
Social media users also said Trump weighed in on Swift’s and Kelce’s relationship on the day of the Super Bowl, supposedly writing on Truth Social that Swift’s presence was a “distraction for Travis Kelce.” That was a fake post, although Trump had posted about Swift numerous times, including about her support of his Democratic rivals.
In June, when “No Kings” rallies popped up across the country protesting Trump and his administration, social media posts shared photos that they said showed the couple joining in. We rated those claims Pants on Fire!
Taylor Swift has announced her engagement to Kansas City Chiefs football star Travis Kelce.Swift announced her engagement with a slideshow of photos featuring her and Kelce on Tuesday.“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the caption said.The news comes after Swift joined Kelce and his brother Jason on their New Heights podcast in August, where she announced her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”The two have been dating for around two years since Kelce went to Swift’s Eras Tour and afterwards announced on New Heights that he wanted to meet the superstar.
Taylor Swift has announced her engagement to Kansas City Chiefs football star Travis Kelce.
Swift announced her engagement with a slideshow of photos featuring her and Kelce on Tuesday.
“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the caption said.
The news comes after Swift joined Kelce and his brother Jason on their New Heights podcast in August, where she announced her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
The two have been dating for around two years since Kelce went to Swift’s Eras Tour and afterwards announced on New Heights that he wanted to meet the superstar.
The drive to engage and motivate students is a critical factor in their ability to learn and retain knowledge. Developing these for learners creates the conditions where they are giving their attention and want to learn. Motivation comes in two forms: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic is often related to a drive to finish, to achieve […]
On Wednesday, April 18, Cudi took to Instagram to share a carousel with fans. Additionally, his post featured three photos.
In the first picture, he sat next to a woman as they were photographed smiling. In the second and third photos, they appeared to be posing while at a red carpet-event.
Furthermore, Cudi also captioned his post:
“My fiancé Lola and me at the Knuckles premiere,” he wrote, revealing his engagement. “This amazing woman makes me so happy, she is everything to me and im so excited to share this news w u all 🥹 Life is wild, and right when I felt my future was uncertain, it became crystal clear with Lola. Happy Cud in full effect 😉🙏🏾”
Cudi also tagged his fianceé in his Instagram post. Her name appears to be Lola Abecassis Sartore, and her profile indicates that she is a “menswear designer.”
Additionally, Sartore shared a post about their engagement.
“I never thought I could love someone this much! So proud to call you my fiancé Scott,” she wrote, adding a fired-up heart emoji. “I can’t wait for you all to see this amazing man in the new Knuckles show!”
Instagram user @skyboujee wrote, “Congrats to my boy.”
While Instagram @rachelmbuki added, “Congratulations to them! Wishing them all the love and happiness on their journey together 🧡”
Instagram user @ni_ambi wrote, “Disappointed, but not surprised. Long as he’s happy 😢”
While Instagram @bigcloutdiego added, “I love interracial relationships. So beautiful!!”
Instagram user @zacmcvic wrote, “I love happy Kudi 🙌”
While Instagram @iamtheashley remarked, “I would suggest you use auto-start on his car from in the house before you ride with him sis…”
The Rapper Recently Made Headlines
As The Shade Room previously reported, Kid Cudi’s name made headlines when Cassie sued her ex-boyfriend Diddy for sexual abuse, trafficking, and assault in November 2023.
In her 30-page lawsuit against Diddy, Cassie alleged that the music mogul was jealous of her relationship with Cudi. Additionally, she stated that Diddy vowed to blow up Kid Cudi’s car.
Shortly after, Cudi’s car was reportedly blown up while it was sitting in his driveway.
At the time, a spokesperson for Cudi confirmed Cassie’s allegation via the New York Times.
Crafting that perfect discussion board post that screams “scholarly” yet doesn’t put your readers to sleep can be quite challenging.
You’re probably aiming for that sweet spot where your professor nods in approval, and your classmates don’t start browsing memes halfway through your post.
There are ways to accomplish this, and today, I will walk you through them. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s begin without any delay.
Getting Started
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
First impressions matter. Begin with a bang, not a whimper. You want your readers to think, “Hey, this might actually be worth my time,” rather than, “Oh, another post I’ll pretend to read.” Here’s how:
Hook ’em fast: Use an intriguing fact, a question, or a bold statement. “Did you know that Shakespeare was also a ruthless businessman?” beats “Shakespeare was an important figure in literature.”
State your point: Do it clearly but without sounding like you’re reading from an encyclopedia.
If you’re ever in need of a muse or a quick escape from writer’s block, checking out EssayPro can be like finding an oasis in a desert of ideas. They’ve turned the daunting task of beginning with a bang into something of a fine art.
Body Paragraphs That Don’t Meander
Now, let’s talk body paragraphs, the beef burgers of your post. You’re not making a salad here; keep the leafy fillers out. Each paragraph should be a mini-quest of its own, exploring a single idea or argument.
Structuring for Impact
One idea per paragraph: Keep it focused. Don’t throw in side quests that confuse everyone.
Evidence is your best friend: Cite studies, articles, or texts. “According to a study by Someone et al. (2024)…”, not “I just feel like…” Doing this will add a lot of credibility to your work.
Connect the dots: Ensure each paragraph links back to your main argument. It’s a discussion post, not a random trivia collection.
Keeping It Real
Relatable examples: Ground your arguments in reality. If you’re discussing economic theories, maybe don’t use billionaires as your go-to example.
Counterarguments: Show you’ve thought everything through by acknowledging the other side of the coin. Then, politely explain why they’re wrong. This method is much more compelling and gives you extra credibility, as you show that you considered all possible aspects.
Conclusions That Don’t Just Fizzle Out
You’ve led your reader through the jungle of your argument. Now, it’s time to give them that view from the mountaintop.
Summarize without sounding repetitive: No one needs a play-by-play of what they just read. Keep it short, sweet, and on point to really put the dot on the letter “i.”
End with a question or a challenge: Leave your readers with something to chew on. “What would Shakespeare’s LinkedIn profile look like?” is more engaging than “Therefore, Shakespeare was significant.”
Bullet points are your allies: They break up text and make your points digestible.
Embrace white space: Paragraphs are friends, not enemies. Give them room to breathe.
Keeping It Casual Yet Sharp
Active voice reigns supreme: “The cat chased the mouse” beats “The mouse was chased by the cat.”
Be concise: If you can say it in five words, don’t use fifty. Your professor will thank you.
Irony, sarcasm, and a pinch of humor: Sprinkle lightly. It’s academic writing, not a stand-up routine.
The Unspoken Rule: Engage
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
A scholarly post isn’t just about showing off how much you know. It’s about sparking a conversation.
Ask open-ended questions: Encourage your classmates to share their thoughts.
Respond to comments: Engage with your readers. Yes, even the ones who think they know better (especially them).
Proofreading
Let’s be honest, your first draft may not be your masterpiece. It’s the rough diamond that needs a good polish. Or, more accurately, it’s the block of marble from which you need to chip away everything that doesn’t look like a scholarly post. Here’s how to wield your proofreading chisel:
Take a break: Step away from your masterpiece. Seriously. Go do something else. When you come back, you’ll see it with fresh eyes.
Read it out loud: If you stumble over words, or run out of breath, your readers will too. Cut. It. Down.
Spellcheck is your frenemy: It’ll catch your “teh” but miss your “form” when you meant “from.” Trust, but verify.
Get a second pair of eyes: Someone who can tell you, “I have no idea what you’re trying to say here.”
Common Traps to Avoid
Because no one talks about these, and they really should.
The Echo Chamber
Repeating the same words or phrases. It’s like listening to a broken record. Your thesaurus is there for a reason. Just don’t go overboard and start using “pulchritudinous” when “beautiful” will do.
The Academic Jargon Jamboree
You’re trying to impress, I get it. But if no one understands what you’re saying, what’s the point? If you can’t explain it to your roommate who majors in altogether something else, you need to simplify.
The Never-Ending Story
Long sentences. Complex thoughts. Nested clauses within nested clauses. It’s like inception for sentences. If you need a GPS to find your way out of your sentence, it’s too long. Split it. Breathe.
If you want to read more Other articles check here.
Be Bold, Be Brief, Be Gone
Let’s face it, writing for discussion boards can feel like trying to make kale smoothies taste good. It’s possible, but it requires a bit of creativity and a lot of restraint. Your goal is to inform, engage, and maybe even entertain without sounding like you’re trying too hard.
Remember, your professors and peers are wading through a sea of posts. Make yours the lifeboat they want to climb into. Be that beacon of light in a fog of academic jargon. Or, at the very least, don’t be the reason someone decided to start cleaning their room instead of finishing your post.
So, go forth and write posts that make a mark, not ones that leave everyone wondering where the last ten minutes of their life went. Good luck!
Are you recently engaged and looking for the perfect way to announce your exciting engagement party news on social media? And a drab “I’m engaged” message just isn’t enough for you? Look no further! Writing good and simple engagement announcement captions can be a difficult task, but it’s important to find a message that truly represents your relationship with your special person.
Whether you’re looking for a low-key announcement or a grand declaration of your lifetime love, there are endless options for unique engagement captions that will fit any aesthetic. From romantic quotes to cute engagement captions for your special person, there are plenty of options to choose from. You might want to consider engagement announcement phrases like “Taking the next step together” or “He put a ring on it” for a romantic touch. So, before you choose your favorite engagement announcement quotes, take some inspiration from our list of the 115 best engagement announcements and let the world know that you now have your soon-to-be spouse by your side. Let’s get right into it…
Romantic Engagement Captions
Romantic engagement captions are perfect for sharing your special news. If you’re looking for sweet and witty engagement announcements, then you can go with a song lyric that you and your special person loves. Here are some more romantic captions for engagement photos:
1. Ready to spend a lifetime with just the best person 2. Our together is forever 3. And so the adventure begins… 4. He put a ring on it 5. An eternal love story begins… 6. Of all the love stories, ours is my favorite 7. Guess you could say, I am officially off the market 8. Only laughter and happily ever after 9. A moment worth melting for 10. Found my Prince Charming 11. Ready to spend forever with my forever Valentine 12. Meet my forever lifetime love 13. Taking the next step together 14. I can’t wait to spend forever with you 15. My love, my life, my forever 16. You make my heart skip a beat and my soul soar 17. You hold my hand, you hold my heart, you hold my future 18. You paint my world with love and laughter 19. Overjoyed to spend the rest of my days creating memories with you
Are you looking for funny engagement captions for friends? Or ‘just engaged’ captions that tickle your funny bone? The right person for you should have a fantastic sense of humor. If your partner cracks jokes that make the entire party laugh, you’ve won at life. It’s nice to add a funny twist or two to your engagement announcements too, like funny movie quotes or witty incident references that define you and your partner’s relationship. When you announce your engagement officially, use these engagement photo captions mentioned below. Here are some cute ways to announce engagement on social media and get inspired to post with your engagement ring.
Someone to annoy every day for the rest of my life? Of course, I said “yes”!
20. Thank God I swiped right 21. *Deletes Tinder* 22. Not gonna lie, the only reason I said yes was to get my hands on his Netflix login 23. I guess I have to start saving for a joint bank account now 24. He/she won at life 25. I said “yes” to the dress, but I’m still thinking about the food 26. Finally get to annoy him/her for the rest of my life 27. Finally found someone who’s willing to put up with my bad jokes for life 28. Decided to change my last name 29. I already knew we were soulmates 30. No longer available 31. Said yes to the dress, the ring, and a lifetime of shared laundry duty 32. You probably saw this one coming 33. It’s about damn time 34. Finally found someone who thinks my snoring is cute 35. From stealing my fries to stealing my heart
Have you ever wondered what makes great short engagement announcement captions? Captions that are non-cringey! Let’s be honest, we sometimes judge a lot when we come across tacky captions for engagement photos.
So, are you looking for non-cheesy engagement captions and are tired of googling “engagement captions for myself” every day? Avoid using generic phrases or clichés. Check out our list of engagement party captions and pick the one that goes with you and your soon-to-be spouse:
36. Saying yes was the easiest (and happiest!) decision ever! 37. A new life starts soon 38. Let the wedding planning begin 39. Not just a ring on my finger, but a forever promise in my heart. Cheers to love, laughter, and happily ever after with my best friend and soulmate! 40. The easiest “Yes” 41. Not sure what’s more exciting: getting married or finally getting to change my relationship status on Facebook 42. You. Me. Oui… 43. Two fewer fish in the sea 44. Laughter, tears, and everything in between – I can’t wait to face them all with the love of my life by my side. So excited to say YES to forever! 45. Never thought I’d find someone who makes me laugh as hard as they make me feel loved. Can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with this incredible human being 46. Yes, a million times over 47. Committed to spending my life getting to know every single part of you 48. Someone to annoy every day for the rest of my life? Of course, I said “yes”! 49. Looks like we’re in this together for the long term!
Have you ever wondered what makes engagement announcement captions on social media stand out and resonate with people? Those celebrity engagement announcements are all about expressing your love for your forever Valentine. With the pressure of finding the ideal Instagram post caption for the next chapter of your life, it’s important to be genuine and low-key, ensuring that your announcement resonates with your followers. As you go ahead with your wedding planning or bachelorette party, your happy engagement post caption should encapsulate the love and the joy of finding the right person. Here are some celebrity engagement captions just for you:
50. “Keep all my love forever.” — The Beatles 51. “If I know what love is, it is because of you.” — Hermann Hesse 52. “Cause we were just kids when we fell in love.” — Ed Sheeran 53. “True love stories never have endings.” – Richard Bach 54. “To love and to be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” — David Viscott 55. “We may have started as individuals, but now we are as one.” — Bryon Pulsifer 56. “If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.” — A.A. Milne 57. “You are the best thing that’s ever been mine.” — Taylor Swift 58. “Once you’ve found the right person, you just know.” — Sophie Turner 59. “Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow internet to see who they really are.” — Will Ferrell 60. “Remember tonight, for it is the beginning of always.” — Dante Alighieri 61. “Hey baby, I think I want to marry you.” — Bruno Mars 62. “In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine.” — Maya Angelou 63. “You are my heart, my life, my one and only thought.” — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
So, the ring’s on your finger, and you cannot wait to share the announcement on social media. But generic captions just won’t cut it for this once-in-a-lifetime moment. You don’t want to make people cringe. You would rather use some impactful ‘just engaged’ captions that will be remembered forever!
So, let your engagement ring photo captions tell the story of your big moment with just the best person on Earth. Here’s a list of unique captions for you to express your eight letters to your loved one:
64. Forever Valentine alert! Can’t wait to marry my best friend 65. Found the one worth melting for, and I can’t wait for forever 66. Here’s to a lifetime of love, laughter, and happily ever after 67. New ring, who dis? #EngagedLife 68. From ‘me’ to ‘we’ ― let the wedding planning begin 69. Ready to write the next chapter of our love story 70. Officially off the market and loving every minute of it 71. Kinda wanna marry you, like, a lot. #Engaged 72. Just found the best person, and I’m never letting go 73. Ready to spend forever annoying you in the best way possible 74. Here’s to forever with my favorite human. Let the wedding planning madness begin! 75. Can’t wait to start the rest of our lives together 76. Cheers to staying in love forever with my forever person 77. Found my lobster. Turns out, happily ever after wasn’t just a fairytale 78. Ready to take on the world with my new bling and my forever love 79. Beyond excited to start on this new chapter with the person who inspires me every day 80. Said yes to a future filled with love, laughter, and endless adventures 81. build a world of our own! 82. Our love story, penned in whispers and laughter, takes a new turn
Let the world know that you’ve found the love of your life and that you wanna marry the best person you’ve ever met. Don’t worry about using generic captions because we’ve got you covered with these specific and relatable engagement announcement quotes. So, here are some clever gossip girl-like engagement captions for Instagram:
To all the awkward glances, silly inside jokes, and late-night talks forever and ever
83. Said “yes” to my person! Can’t wait to share all the adventures (and inside jokes) forever 84. Guess who’s getting hitched?! 85. We met as strangers, fell in love as best friends, and now we’re getting married as soulmates 86. To all the awkward glances, silly inside jokes, and late-night talks forever and ever 87. From awkward first dates to kisses and stolen last names, here’s to a lifetime of forever with the one who makes my every moment sparkle 88. They captured the sunrise, the ring, and the tears (happy ones, obviously!) 89. No photo can capture the pure joy of being engaged to my human 90. This ring might be new, but our love story feels like chapters written in fairytales. Can’t wait to add a few hundred more 91. They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but honestly, this future husband takes the cake 92. Never thought I’d find someone who makes me laugh this hard, smile this wide, and say “I do” without hesitation 93. Remember that time we swore we’d never do the whole marriage thing? Me neither, until this incredible human asked 94. From nervously sweating to ugly-crying tears of joy, this proposal was everything and more 95. Here’s to a lifetime of adventures with my biggest supporter (and ring bearer) 96. They say love finds you when you least expect it. Turns out, I was expecting it right next to that crystal-clear lake where we spent our childhood growing up
Ready for the official party wedding spam? Now that you’ve said “yes,” with all the celebrations, it’s essential to have the perfect engagement party captions. After all, you want to make your event stand out. And you don’t just want to declare “I’m engaged” in a drab manner. Take a look at some of our engagement party captions:
97. Let’s celebrate our “yes” till forever! 98. We’re engaged AF and ready to party! 99. Mr. & Mrs. soon-to-be, dancing the night away with our favorite faces 100. Hands up for the next chapter! 101. Come celebrate our happy beginning 102. Finally found ‘the one‘ who can tolerate my early morning singing 103. Cheers to finding someone who makes life even more chaotic (and infinitely more fun) 104. They call it an engagement party, but really, it’s just an excuse to celebrate finding my partner in crime 105. It’s time to pop the champagne 106. RSVP: Love & laughter! 107. Forever feels a lot closer with you by my side. Can’t wait to explore it together 108. Can’t stop smiling, can’t stop celebrating! 109. From lovebirds to party birds! 110. Can’t keep calm, it’s our engagement bash! 111. Cheers to the next chapter, starting with the best party ever! 112. A night filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable moments 113. Celebrating in style 114. We’re ‘head over heels’ 115. Celebrating the sparkle in our future!
With a ring on your finger and a heart full of joy, the world deserves to know who you are spending your whole life with. After all, you’re engaged! Share the news using any of the captions mentioned above that capture the essence of your story and the excitement for the journey ahead. Or choose a perfect engagement post caption that resonates with your vibe.
It’s your moment, so make it your own. The world is waiting to share your happiness, and your unique announcement will be the first chapter in a love story everyone will want to read. So, we wish you all the best and a happy engagement!
FAQs
1. What do you write when announcing engagement caption?
For witty engagement announcements or caption ideas, consider engagement announcement phrases like “Ready to spend a lifetime with just the best person,” “Guess you could say, I am officially off the market,” or “Finally get to annoy him/her for the rest of my life.” Tailor your announcement to reflect your unique relationship and the excitement of spending the rest of your lives together.
2. How do you write an announcement?
When crafting an announcement, explore caption ideas such as romantic engagement captions or celebrity engagement announcements. Use expressions like “Ready to write the next chapter of our love story” or “Found the one worth melting for, and I can’t wait for forever.” Personalize your announcement with phrases that resonate with your special connection.
If your grown up son or daughter has recently announced that they’re engaged, you may be wondering what else you can do other than offer a heartfelt “congratulations!” How about giving them a thoughtful engagement gift as well? We’ve put together a list of the best engagement gifts that are meaningful, practical, and the perfect way to show your child and their future spouse just how happy you are for them.
There’s no need to break the bank in order to give the best engagement gift—you’ll have plenty of opportunity to do that when it comes to the wedding—that’s why we’ve filled this gift guide with a wide range of options that they’ll be able to use throughout their engagement. Whether you’re looking for something little or big to help a newly engaged couple ring in their impending nuptials, these are the best engagement gifts to give to your newly betrothed offspring.
Getting engaged means combining your lives. This Jot & Mark recipe box will help them corral treasured recipes from both of their families into one charming box. It also comes with recipe cards and dividers to keep things organized. Available in patterns like lemon zest and pink peonies, it’ll make a nice addition to any couple’s new life.
This ring dish provides a resting spot for new bling — and can be personalized with the wearer’s first (or last) initial. This will prove especially handy if they aren’t used to wearing a lot of jewelry, as it provides a safe place to put their ring when they’re cooking, bathing, working out, or doing any other non-ring-friendly activity. (And don’t worry if you aren’t the only one to give a ring dish — it’s useful to have several around the house.)
There’s no question that the best way to celebrate a newly-engaged couple is with a bottle of nice champagne. But what if they don’t have any appropriate glasses to drink it from or to toast with? Rectify that with these classic, understated Zweisel champagne flutes made from chip- and crack-resistant glass. Stick with a pair of glasses for now, as the couple may want to add a full set to their registry. In the meantime, though, they’ll appreciate these high-quality, toast-ready flutes.
Planning a wedding is not what most people would call a “relaxing” activity, so these plush, luxurious robes can help them take full advantage of those brief moments of calm leading up to the big day. They’ll also add comfort to late nights spent hashing out invites and seating arrangements. If you want, you can personalize the robes with monograms to give them a bit more pizzazz.
If they have a new house to go with their engagement, a scented candle is a great gift for them and their new home. The Homesick Let’s Toast candle has a burn time of 60 to 80 hours and is scented with mandarin and grapefruit. It adds a delicate note of celebration to any home and is a thoughtful and budget-friendly gift for any engaged couple.
Weddings are all about logistics. (And love, of course. But also logistics.) Help them work out the details in style with this agenda that’s specifically designed for planning a wedding. Complete with slots to collect samples, sections dedicated to sorting vendors, and a registry checklist, it contains everything they’ll need to lay the groundwork for their big day.
Once they’ve set a date, help them keep track of how long they have until the big day with this set of wedding-oriented countdown blocks. Starting a year out, it lets them adjust the blocks by the day and is perfect to keep on a desk or mantle—plus it’s great for social media posts!
An engagement gift that they’ll continue to use long after the wedding is over, the Rabbit Champagne Preserver keeps an open bottle of bubbly from going flat. The stainless steel device holds tight to the lip of the bottle, reducing the amount of air that goes in and ensuring its bubbles stay bubbly.
Getting engaged usually means they’ll have lots of opportunities to host family holidays or other get-togethers. A gorgeous charcuterie board is a thoughtful and useful gift that they’ll use before and after the wedding. Available in three sizes — 6.25 x 16, 11 x 18, and 9 x 26 inches — you can also add a monogram so it’s personalized to their new joint last name.
Between the event invites and thank you notes, weddings tend to involve a great deal of paper correspondence. Make the process easier with this self-inking return address stamp. You can customize the font, size, and color to ensure it fits the couple’s style. Give them one with their individual last names to use during their engagement, and one with their married last name for all those wedding gift thank you notes they’ll have to write post-nuptials
This is an easy but incredibly thoughtful gift. Pick one of your favorite photos from their earliest days as a couple, print it out, and stick it in the 4-inch x 6-inch frame. It’s a sweet reminder of how it all started — and the floating glitter hearts add a touch of whimsy.
Planning to throw them an engagement party that involves cake cutting? They’ll need a special cake knife and server for that! The set can be used for their wedding, too, so they won’t have to worry about registering for one.
A proposal spot instantly becomes the stuff of family lore for a newly engaged couple. A custom engagement map is a romantic gift that they’ll cherish for years to come. The gorgeous watercolor prints are customized with the place, a specific color, and a type of frame so you can gift them something that reflects their tastes and honors their commitment to one another.
For many, wedding planning calls for caffeine — and lots of it. These matching, nuptial-planning-centric mugs provide a charming vessel to hold java, and the included covers ensure that coffee doesn’t grow cold. In the product’s ratings, reviewers note that the cups are high quality and the packaging is surprisingly luxe, making them a perfect gift.
Whether they’re seasoned cooks or just learning their way around the kitchen, they’ll appreciate this cookbook written just for newlyweds. The recipes are simple and portioned to make just the right amount of food for two people. The cookbook also contains valuable information about safe food storage, repurposing leftovers, setting up a pantry, planning a dinner party, and establishing new family traditions.
If they aren’t sure where to begin with their wedding planning, The Little Book of Wedding Checklists is an engagement gift that will set them on the right path. As the title implies, it’s filled with checklists of things a couple should consider or look into as they’re getting married, including budgets, invitations, and information to tell guests. It can also be repurposed for different styles of weddings, from casual backyard parties to big, lavish affairs.
Nothing says love and celebration like chocolate. Be the star (or the heart) of any engagement party with this heart-shaped “chocuterie” board. Filled with chocolate-dipped strawberries, raspberry-filled bonbons, and a variety of dried fruit, it’s a sweet way to instill romance (and chocolate) into the air. Plus, they can reuse the heart-shaped board once they’ve polished off the sweet stuff.
If they prefer something on the savory side, they’ll love receiving this classy caviar cocktail set as an engagement gift. With caviar, creme fraîche, cocktail blinis, and mother-of-pearl serving spoons all in a reusable cooler, it’ll elevate any engagement party—plus they’ll have the pearl spoons to use for caviar service after they’re married.
Don’t just hand them a bottle of champagne as an engagement gift without putting it in a cute gift bag! This cheekily titled bag is sure to elicit a chuckle from the engaged couple, plus they can reuse it later whenever friends get engaged.
The Skylight digital photo frame cycles through photos they can select in advance — perfect for all the pictures they’ll amass throughout their engagement. Family members and friends can also send photos to their frame, so they’ll have an incredible library of amazing shots once the wedding is over. It also makes for a fun centerpiece at an engagement party, shower, or rehearsal dinner, and would be a big hit if you fill it with some embarrassing photos from their childhoods.
Suddenly having new, fancy hardware like an engagement ring leads to lots of questions. Like “Should I insure this thing?” (probably) and “Wait, how do I even clean it?” This pen-sized diamond cleaner helps keep brand-new bling shiny so that it’s sure to elicit plenty of “oohs” and “ahs”. It’s especially effective at cleaning those hard-to-reach spots on intricate engagement rings.
Imagine a symbol of love that uniquely narrates your tale, a token of affection as unique as your partnership. Personalizing your engagement ring isn’t just about selecting a design, it’s about infusing your unique narrative into a piece of jewelry destined to be cherished forever. This ring stands as a testament to your bond, a tangible representation of your exclusive love story.
Embarking on creating your ideal ring goes beyond merely selecting a stone or a band. It’s about embedding your shared experiences, aspirations, and dreams into a design that eloquently speaks to your journey together. This process allows you to express those profound sentiments that words alone cannot, symbolizing your bond in a way that reflects the depth of your devotion.
Exploring The World Of Lab-Grown Engagement Ring Styles
In your quest for a ring that reflects your narrative, explore the innovative realm of engagement ring styles using lab-grown diamonds. These diamonds offer a modern twist to traditional jewelry, blending ethical sourcing with the timeless allure of diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds are identical to mined diamonds, expanding your options in design and enabling a creation that genuinely mirrors your taste and ethics.
Opting for a lab-grown diamond is a testament to your commitment to each other and the wider world. These gems, sourced responsibly, provide comfort in knowing your symbol of love aligns with sustainability principles and ethical responsibility. With various cuts, colors, and settings, lab-grown diamonds offer a spectrum of options to bring your love narrative to life.
Let your ring be a reflection of your relationship
The Importance Of Customization
Your romance is unparalleled, and your ring should be just as unique. Customization goes beyond visual appeal; it’s about capturing the essence of your bond. Whether engraving a significant date or incorporating symbols representing your shared path, these personal touches add layers of significance to this emblem of your affection.
Personalizing your ring can become a profoundly connective experience, offering a chance to reflect on the distinctive qualities of your relationship and how to manifest these in your ring’s design. This intimate touch elevates the ring from a stunning piece of jewelry to a treasured keepsake, rich with memories and meaning. So, let’s take a look at the factors you need to take into account to craft the perfect personalized ring:
The metal you choose for your ring reflects more than just a preference; it mirrors your style and lifestyle. From the classic elegance of gold to the sleek sophistication of platinum or the romantic hues of rose gold, each metal contributes uniquely to your ring’s design.
Consider not only the aesthetic appeal but also the practical aspects of different metals. Durability, maintenance, and compatibility with the stone are crucial. Your choice of metal enhances the ring’s appearance and contributes to its longevity and resilience.
2. The art of selecting the perfect stone
The centerpiece of your engagement ring, the stone, is where your shared narrative takes center stage. Beyond the classic diamond, a variety of gemstones each tell their own story. From sapphires’ calming blues to emeralds’ vibrant greens, selecting the right stone is about finding a gem that resonates with your personal story.
When choosing a stone, think about its significance to both of you. Whether it’s a birthstone symbolizing when you met or a gemstone with particular relevance to your relationship, the ideal stone weaves tales and evokes emotions with every glance.
3. The influence of ring settings
The setting of your ring is where your chosen stone truly shines. Going beyond a functional role, it becomes an integral part of your ring’s story. From the understated beauty of a solitaire setting to the intricate patterns of vintage-inspired designs, the setting cradles your stone and reflects your distinctive flair.
Different settings not only secure but also enhance your chosen gem. A well-chosen setting can transform a simple stone into a stunning work of art, symbolizing your love and the care invested in each aspect of your ring.
Tailoring your ring down to the smallest detail can add profound significance. Engravings, hidden gems, or design elements that reflect shared interests or experiences turn your ring into a repository of cherished memories. These sentimental touches elevate your ring from a mere beauty item to an invaluable heirloom.
Think about ways to infuse your ring with elements that resonate deeply with you. Whether it’s a heartfelt quote, a design inspired by a cherished place, or a detail that recalls a significant moment in your relationship, these thoughtful inclusions make your ring a unique testament to your love story.
Your engagement ring symbolizes more than just a commitment; it represents your unique journey together. From selecting lab-grown diamonds to choosing a setting that captures your essence, every aspect of your ring can be tailored to reflect your intimate love story. As you embark on this journey, remember that the ideal ring is the one that resonates most profoundly with the love you share, becoming an everlasting emblem of your life together.
Few couples have generated as much engagement speculation as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
Ever since before they started dating, back when the NFL star was just publicly crushing on the Love Story singer, America has been cheering them on. And it’s been going great so far — so great, in fact, that fans have been on the edge of their seats basically since Thanksgiving waiting for news they were going to take the next step!
Was Trav going to propose on Taylor’s birthday? At Christmas? On midnight on New Year’s Eve?? Well, someone thinks they have the answer…
Sources told Page Six on Thursday that the couple HAVE talked about it. But they aren’t ready to pull that trigger just yet. Or rather, they are — but they don’t want to look like they are? An insider claimed the couple decided not to get engaged over the holidays because “they don’t want it to seem like it’s rushed insanity.” Even Valentine’s Day, they say, is too soon for Taylor.
The couple’s romance began in late July, right after Travis admitted publicly on his New Heights podcast that he’d tried to give the pop star his phone number on a friendship bracelet at her concert, only to find out she wasn’t doing meet-and-greets. Tay later told Time magazine she was impressed with the “metal as hell” move — and that they started hanging out right after that.
However, they didn’t go public for nearly two months, when Tay attended her first Kansas City Chiefs game alongside the Kelce family in late September. So a Christmas proposal might have seemed, to the general public, like they got engaged after just three months together! That would be quick… but not unheard of. However, Taylor is clearly protective of her image here.
So if V-Day is too soon, when is the right time where they don’t look insane? Page Six‘s sources say it’s coming THIS SUMMER! The source claims:
“Taylor and Travis discussed it and there is a plan. They will get engaged on their one-year anniversary in July.”
Ooh! Right, once they can say they’ve been together a whole year, that would cross a threshold for a lot of critics. Certainly no one could say a couple was rushing if they got engaged after a YEAR together.
This does raise one question for us, though, something we’ll have to ask all of our Perezcious dating experts and Swifties out there… Does planning an engagement together take the romance out of it? How important is surprise in a proposal? Is it necessary? Or is that too old-fashioned an idea? Is it better to just plan these things together?
Let us know YOUR thoughts in the comments (below)!
