This episode examines how hype often outpaces reality in business, using WeWork, Bodega Boxes, and Theranos as examples of ideas that generated enormous buzz but couldn’t deliver on their promises, then applies Gartner’s hype cycle to show how new concepts move from excitement to disappointment before settling into their true value. You use this lens to question whether the shift from “HR” to “People & Culture” represents real change or just a rebrand, concluding that the answer varies by organisation and may be more hype than substance, especially since the underlying administrative and compliance work hasn’t disappeared. Ultimately, you argue that if workplaces want genuine improvement, they must change their practices—not just their job titles.