What If One Simple Leadership Habit Could Transform Your Team in 2025?

Silent quitting—a symptom of growing disengagement in the workplace—continues to challenge leaders in 2025.

Employees are showing up, doing the bare minimum, and emotionally detaching from their roles. This behaviour isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it’s costing the Australian economy?$211 billion annually, with?two-thirds of workers passively disengaged, meaning they are emotionally detached and unmotivated at work.

One of the primary drivers? A lack of trust. When employees don’t feel seen, heard, or supported by their leaders, disengagement follows. The?Harvard Business Review’s September 2024 study?highlights a powerful solution: employees who had weekly 1:1 check-ins with their managers were?three times more likely to stay engaged?than those who didn’t.

As a leader, I’ve experienced this firsthand. Leading a team of 26 direct reports—24 of them remote—I had every excuse to avoid regular check-ins. Time felt scarce, and I told myself my team was doing fine if there weren’t complaints or issues. But the truth is, disengagement isn’t loud—it’s silent.

When I committed to making 1:1s non-negotiable, everything changed. These conversations helped me:

• Build trust and connection with each team member.
• Understand what motivated them and where they needed support.
• Turn a poor-performing business into a top performer, consistently exceeding sales targets.

Weekly 1:1s became my?crystal ball. They weren’t just about performance updates; they were about listening, showing care, and leading with intention.

Is Leadership Disconnection the Real Problem?

Employee disengagement often points to another underlying issue:?leadership disconnection.

When leaders disconnect from the emotional side of their role—choosing tasks, metrics, or becoming consumed by the pressures they face—they unintentionally foster environments where mistrust and detachment thrive.

As Brené Brown puts it:?“True connection doesn’t exist unless it’s real, vulnerable, and grounded in authenticity.”

Leadership isn’t just about hitting targets or managing outputs. It’s about the courage to care and the willingness to connect.

“I Don’t Have Time for 1:1s”—A Costly Misconception

One of the biggest pushbacks I hear from leaders is this:?“I don’t have time for weekly 1:1s.”?But let’s reframe this: can you afford?not?to prioritise them?

Given the staggering cost of disengagement and how hard it is to recruit and retain good people, the reality is simple: if connection and trust aren’t priorities, neither is performance.

Those 20-minute conversations aren’t a drain—they’re an investment. They’re how you prevent small frustrations from turning into major issues. They’re how you show your team you value them as people, not just employees.

When I look back at my own leadership journey, I see the impact of choosing connection. Weekly 1:1s helped me build a culture of trust and engagement, even with a remote team. If I could do it with 26 direct reports, you can too.

Why 1:1 Check-ins Are a Leadership Priority, Not an Option

In my Juggle Framework, I encourage leaders to categorise their responsibilities into?crystal, rubber, and concrete balls:

• Crystal Balls:?Critical priorities that will shatter if dropped.
• Rubber Balls:?Important tasks that will bounce back if delayed.
• Concrete Balls:?Heavy, unnecessary tasks weighing you down.

For people leaders, weekly 1:1 check-ins are a?crystal ball. Dropping them risks irreparable damage to relationships, trust, and engagement. And - ultimately your performance.

3 Steps to Make 1:1s Your Leadership Superpower

1. Make Them Non-Negotiable Block time on your calendar and treat it as sacred (as sacred as a client meeting!). A 20-minute check-in can uncover challenges, boost morale, and build loyalty that emails or group meetings never will.
2. Focus on the Human Side Avoid turning 1:1s into task updates. Ask open-ended questions like: “What’s energising or draining you right now?” “How can I support you right now?” This builds trust and shows you value their well-being as much as their work.
3. Use the Above and Below the Line Framework Check your leadership location: Are you leading above the line—choosing accountability and connection—or below the line, where blame and disconnection live? By leading above the line, you create a culture of engagement, even in challenging times.

Leadership Is Emotional Work

As leaders, we must recognise that disengagement starts when we disconnect—from our people, from our purpose, and from the emotional demands of leadership. By choosing to prioritise connection—through practices like weekly 1:1s—we lead with intention and authenticity.

Silent quitting may be a symptom of our time, but the solution is timeless: show up, listen, and engage.

As Brené Brown reminds us:?“Leadership is not about titles or outputs; it’s about the courage to care.”

Your Call to Action

Take five minutes today to reflect:

• Are you prioritising the emotional side of your role?
• Have you made 1:1s with your team a crystal ball?

Start small. Schedule one conversation. Lead above the line. And watch as your team begins to reengage—not just with their work, but with you.

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If you'd lie to work out how you can implement this habit into your leadership strategy - reach out and lets have a chat

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