The Quiet Quitting Problem Nobody's Talking About!
Lets be BLUNT: You call it Quiet Quitting. You think it’s a failure of your team's will but its NOT! Quiet Quitting isn't about lazy employees, It’s a systemic SOS.
You're a good person. A good manager. You're smart. But you have become the filling in the corporate sandwich—squeezed by executive demands from above and the relentless demands of your team from below. Let’s face it, if you think your exhausted, think how your team feels. You can see the the signs; the blank stare on Zoom calls, the bare minimum effort, the calendar alerts ignored.
When I tak to staff three things are clear :
Its a lie that people are motivated purely by a bonus or a promotion, its one of the things but not the only thing and most times not even the first thing!
People no longer feel willing to go above and beyond because they don't trust the system to recognise the human cost of that effort.
Your teams just want to be seen as people!
Five-Second Rule of Revolutionary Leadership
1. Stop Managing Tasks, Start Managing Energy.
Your old job was tracking deliverables. Your new job is tracking well-being. An employee isn't a resource; they are a fuel tank. If the tank is empty, you get minimal output. Ask them: "On a scale of 1 to 10, what is your current energy level for this project, and what can I take off your plate to make it a 7?"
2. Replace "Feedback" with "Coaching Moments.
"Feedback" implies you are the expert judging a subordinate. It feels like a threat. A "Coaching Moment" is you standing shoulder-to-shoulder with them, asking, "Where are you stuck, and what tool do we need to get you moving?" This creates psychological safety, which is the only environment where a quiet quitter re-engages.
3. Redefine "Success" as Impact, Not Hours.
If your team knows you measure them by how long their lights are on, they will just sit there quietly quitting longer. It’s performance theatre. We need to dismantle the surveillance culture. Your agency needs people solving problems, not sitting in seats. Define one critical impact metric for the week. If they hit it in 30 hours, they win. They won't quit quietly when the goal is clear and the reward is agency.
4. Identify the Joy-Blockers.
This is especially critical for your women leaders. You know the ones—the ones who used to sparkle but are now dimmed. They aren't quiet quitting because they hate the work; they are quiet quitting because the system has blocked the joy they once had in the work. You, the manager, must be the excavator. Ask the difficult question: “What is the most frustrating part of your week that I, your manager, can remove or radically change?”
5. Demand That Your Agency Invest in You.
You cannot pour from an empty cup, and you cannot lead revolutionary change with an outdated skill set. If your agency is complaining about "Quiet Quitting," they are complaining about a management deficiency. Demand the training you need. Demand the tools that move you from task-master to true performance coach.
