Role Playing
Welcome to case 4, the hustle culture.
In this exercise, we will integrate your LIA topics while role playing the hustle culture.
There are 4 roles, in this journey you will take on 2 of them and discuss with students on a few deliverables.
Stage 1 - Self Reflection
What is the hustle culture?
Stage 2 - Understand your role 1
Embrace the role assigned to you through out the debate. Each round will be 25 minutes.
After each round, write down as a team your diary reflection as the role you have taken.
The Hustle-Driven CEO
Tagline: "No excuses. Only results."
Background:
- Founder & CEO of a high-growth company in [insert LIA topic industry].
- Obsessed with productivity, expansion, and making an impact.
- Firm believer that “hard work beats talent” and burnout is part of success.
- Considers competition weak if they prioritize work-life balance.
Your Role in the Debate:
- Defend hustle culture as a necessity in [insert industry].
- Argue that sacrifices lead to innovation and profit.
- Downplay burnout by saying, “The most successful people work harder than everyone else.”
👉 Guiding Questions:
- How does hustle culture drive success in [insert industry]?
- What happens if employees slow down—does it hurt the business?
- Should companies be responsible for work-life balance, or is it an individual’s choice?
The Burnout Victim
Tagline: "I worked myself to the top… and now I’m falling apart."
Background:
- Once a rising star in [insert LIA topic industry], now struggling with mental and physical exhaustion.
- Followed the “work 24/7” mentality until they hit burnout.
- Feels stuck—quitting feels like failure, but continuing feels unsustainable.
Your Role in the Debate:
- Challenge the CEO’s hustle culture narrative by sharing real consequences of burnout.
- Show how the industry profits from overworking people without offering support.
- Call out toxic productivity—just because something is “normal” doesn’t mean it’s healthy.
👉 Guiding Questions:
- What is the personal cost of non-stop work in [insert industry]?
- Does working harder always mean more success?
- What happens when burned-out employees quit—does it actually hurt the company?
The Balance Advocate
Tagline: "Success without balance isn’t success at all."
Background:
- A former [insert industry] professional who left due to overwork culture.
- Now runs a consulting business on productivity & mental health, proving that balance works better than burnout.
- Uses science & psychology to argue that hustle culture is flawed.
Your Role in the Debate:
- Use research-backed arguments to prove hustle culture is unsustainable.
- Offer alternatives to the burnout model (ex: smart work, ethical business).
- Convince others that healthy employees = better long-term success.
👉 Guiding Questions:
- What workplace policies can prevent burnout in [insert industry]?
- Can companies be both successful and ethical?
- Is hustle culture actually productive, or just an illusion of success?
The Corporate Recruiter
Tagline: "We’re not forcing you to work harder—we’re just giving you opportunities!"
Background:
- Works in HR at a major company in [insert LIA topic industry].
- Loves corporate buzzwords like “We’re a family” and “Passion over paychecks”.
- Believes hustle culture keeps businesses profitable—but knows it needs to sound appealing to employees.
Your Role in the Debate:
- Defend hustle culture in a way that sounds “positive” and motivational.
- Convince workers that hustling benefits them (even if the reality is different).
- Try to maintain employee loyalty while subtly encouraging overwork.
👉 Guiding Questions:
- How do companies sell hustle culture without making it seem toxic?
- What incentives keep people working harder for less pay?
- Should companies be transparent about their expectations—or keep things vague?
Round 1:
Round 2: