What if it isn't "Quiet Quitting?" Here are three ways to check!

Years ago, I remember leading a workshop for a group of HR professionals from a variety of industries. To kick off our session, and to break the ice, I went around the room and asked each person to share a personal or professional goal.

?Some people spoke about how they aspired to one day move to a new city or move up the corporate ladder to a more senior position within their organization. ?Others revealed they dreamed of leaving steady paychecks behind to launch their own businesses as entrepreneurs.?Another person told us she hoped to write a children's book.?On and on it went, one by one around the room, each participant divulging an ambition.

?That is until I reached the final table. ?The second to the last person was a woman who smiled up at me as I leaned in to present her with the microphone.?

“I don’t have a goal,” she said.?

?I was taken aback. I didn’t expect that. Although I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, I gently pushed.?“Really? Not at all?”

?She remained calm as I inquired.?“No,” she repeated, looking directly at me. “I’m content.”

?And there you have it, folks. In a column that focuses on career progression, building better business leaders and shaping company cultures, what if you’re simply not a go-getter?

?A DIFFERENT POV ON “QUIET QUITTING”

This was the question learning and development professional Jeff Tyson posed in a recent essay on LinkedIn. Amidst growing alarm and media attention about “Quiet Quitting” (even your faithful Communicator columnist joined in the fray and wrote about it last week), Jeff flipped this notion on its head.

?He wrote, “You’re not actually quitting your job, just doing your work without putting in extra effort. You’re still meeting the performance standards of your position. However, there’s no going above and beyond; no pushing for a promotion or to be the top performer.”

?He went on to raise the provocative idea that perhaps for some people, this is not something to be concerned about.

?I interviewed him over Zoom from his home state of North Carolina.

?DON’T RUSH TO JUDGE

“I think this could unfairly label people who are possibly in different situations,” he began.?“This whole idea of, ‘If you’re not overachieving, you’re not trying.’ That bothered me.

?“It goes to this notion that contentment is a bad thing. There’s such a negativity to that, such as the concern that if you’re content, you’re not pushing and you’re not trying to grow. I get that. There is some validity to that. But the reality is that some people just want to be content. We should allow people who are content, to be content. If that contentment comes with doing their job and doing it well without trying to push to do extra or stretch goals or set themselves up to move up the career ladder, then we should allow them to do that,” Jeff said.

?I was reminded of that woman in my workshop. She wasn’t negative toward those other women around her who expressed their goals. She was just content with where she was in her life at the moment.?So, we’re not talking about the complainers or the grumblers or the people who drag the rest of the team down with their unveiled ennui. We’re talking about those folks who put their head down and just do the work.?

?If you’re a manager or a team member and notice someone is leaving (or turning off their Zoom screen) promptly at 5 p.m., or they’re not answering emails over the weekend or on holiday, maybe, just maybe, they’re not frustrated or not engaged, or not quietly quitting. Maybe they’re content.

?Perhaps they are in a point of their lives where they don’t want to push themselves harder. Or they can’t. Maybe they’re saving their extra energy for something else.

?As Jeff continued, “We have ingrained the workaholic overachiever approach to the point where anyone perceived as not going above and beyond is lacking. Yet most organisations and leaders preach the gospel of how important?work-life balance?is to their company. Rarely do they practice what they preach. The person who works all weekend is lauded for going the extra mile. The corporate culture of so many organisations exalts the over worker and makes anyone else feel they must continually do more. But if the Great Resignation is any indication, more and more people are seeking alternative paths to happiness.”

SEEK TO UNDERSTAND OR EXPLAIN

The best way to manage this situation for both the employee and the employer is, of course, to communicate.

If, for instance, you are the person who used to put your hand up for every extra project, but now you need to take a step back for whatever reason, tell your boss. If you’re a boss and you notice a behaviour change, ask.?

“Sit down and have a frank discussion. Be authentic and transparent,” Jeff reminds. “For me, that should be your mantra in career and life anyway.”

Agreed. As always, friends, communication is the key. ?

TIP OF THE COMMUNICATOR HAT

Today’s tip of my hat goes to regular reader David.?He wrote earlier this month to share how much he appreciated reading my column which urged employees to not be afraid to push for more when it comes to discussing pay and benefits.?Recently offered a promotion, David successfully negotiated to a number greater than the original offer.?Bravo. Proof it can be done.?(As for the communications issue with upper management, you also wrote about, David, have them call me. We can sort it out.)

Write to Gina in care of [email protected] or right here on Linked In.

With corporate clients in five continents, Gina London is a premier communications strategy, structure and delivery expert. She is also a media analyst, author, speaker and former CNN anchor. @TheGinaLondon