PEOPLE DON’T QUIT GREAT RELATIONSHIPS

Quiet quitting is about not leaving your job while not over-investing in it either, whether that means setting boundaries and pushing back against after hours work demands or simply putting in a minimal effort at work.?It’s been referred to as slacking, disengaging, phoning it in, seeking balance, and now quiet quitting.??Let’s consider a few of the biggest explanations.

The integrity perspective.??Quiet quitting is about employees feeling that their basic agreement with their employer has been violated.??The culprit is consistent excessive above and beyond expectations.??This is seen as unfair.??They are hired to do x and consistently asked to do x, y, and z – even after hours and on weekends.??When employees perceive an integrity violation, they lose the motivation to contribute beyond the minimum.??

The purpose perspective.??This view suggests that to the extent that employees feel genuine purpose, the more willing and able they are to engage high expectations and above and beyond efforts.??But when the work does not feed their soul, the clock becomes their reference point, not a higher purpose.??In that case, they will always choose family, friends, and leisure over extra time spent working.??

The balance and ownership perspective.??This popular view suggests that the issue isn’t about organizations doing things wrong per se.??It’s about increasing numbers of professionals choosing to seek balance and control in their lives.??They are standing up for themselves and reprioritizing work in a healthier way relative to other competing priorities and interests in their lives.??

Of course, it’s also vital to note that we don’t want to oversimplify the situation.??Many factors are at play.??Aside from those noted above, there are other contributing variables including changing social mores surrounding work, generational value differences in the labor pool, external shocks (e.g., pandemic, disrupted supply chains), and so on.

So, what to do about all of this???The best solutions focus on root causes, so at the risk of oversimplifying, I suggest the best solution is about creating better relationships at work.??Better supervisor-employee relationships, and better relationships among coworkers.??

Better relationships allow us to be more comfortable talking about all of the perspectives noted above.??This is the foundation of what a leader does.??The quality of relationships strongly shapes employees’ perspectives on all challenges they face.??They won’t quietly quit if they respect their supervisors’ efforts (e.g., inclusion in decisions, putting the team first, being helpful, etc.) and they feel meaningfully connected to their co-workers.

When relationships are optimized with trust, rapport, and caring – it’s amazing how people will move mountains for their employer.??What part of your organization must be reimagined to better support the maintenance and growth of great relationships?

TODD’S TIPS

Bureaucracy is necessary but must be kept in check!??I once offered this fun quote to capture a version of this idea, “And when the Devil saw them making progress, he grinned, and invented committees.”??Committees, meetings, rules, and their variants are always growing, but for innovation to thrive, they must be checked and occasionally beat back.??As a leader you must make it okay to question all of the different types of bureaucracy around you.??At least once per year the team must thoughtfully consider how each type might be changed or eliminated to help us move forward more quickly.??And never forget the most important perspective – all forms of bureaucracy represent ideal first references, not final or absolute standards.??Like everything else, they must evolve.??

WHAT’S UP WITH DR. D?

Speaking:??I’m excited about two upcoming keynote events.??One is in Houston next week at the annual conference for Eaton Corporation, a major player in the electrical and industrial power management space.??The other is in Portland, Oregon the next day for the annual meeting of the International Association of School Business Officials.??I’ll let you know how it goes!

Courses:??The contracts are signed on five new courses LinkedIn Learning will adopt that I created in my humble home studio.??Topics include leading in every direction, understanding your growth as a leader, sustainable employee engagement, and more.??Stay tuned – I’ll let you know when they go live in a few months.

Monsters:??I’m working on a cool new batch of promotional graphics that highlight aspects of the book.??Here’s one I love: “Just like me, you’re imperfect, yet perfectly capable of becoming your own unique monster.” - Joe Vampire, in Dancing with Monsters?