Shine at Work®

89 | Why We’re Sick Of The Term “Quiet Quitting” and “Quiet Firing”

January 23, 2023 Season 5 Episode 89
Shine at Work®
89 | Why We’re Sick Of The Term “Quiet Quitting” and “Quiet Firing”
Show Notes

This week's episode is a little different.  I wanted to share with you my thoughts on “quiet quitting” and “quiet firing”.  And more recently, “quiet promoting”.  Basically it comes down to assuming bad intent.  Employees are realizing they may need to create some boundaries  but companies are concerned they are disengaged and “quiet quitting”.  Or, an individual feels like more work and taking on more responsibilities but not getting a promotion, so therefore, they feel the company may be “quietly promoting” them.  On the flip side, people believe their company is sending negative signals about their role and their employment, and worry about “quiet firing”.  In my opinion, in all these situations, it all comes down to communication.  Here’s a thought… Let's actually start talking to each other!!  

In this episode I share my thoughts on these click-bait trends (and yes we know we used it in our own headlines this week).    So whether you are an employee, a manager or if you are in HR, I really encourage you to listen to this episode to recognize how we might be biased in what we are experiencing.  And if there is truth to the situation (you are disengaged, you are avoiding a tough conversation, you aren’t recognizing your team) then we share some tips on how to identify that and start the real conversation that needs to happen.

In this episode, you will specifically learn about…

As a manager…

  • How to have  hard conversations that you need to have with an employee
  • How to improve communication to try  to calm uncertainties in your organization
  • How to recognize an employee even if a promotion isn't available right now

As an employee…

  •  How to set boundaries and talk to your manager about them
  • How to interpret  “negative” signals from your company? 
  • How to talk to your manager about your  career path (or apparent lack of it) 
  • How to identify if you are disengaged or just burned out

Helpful resources…

The Ladder of Inference - Mindtools.com 

Leadership and Self-Deception - Getting Out Of The Box - The Arbinger Institute

Is It Time To Find A New Job, Are You Just Having A Bad Day Or Hitting A Ceiling? - Shine At Work Podcast episode 69, season 3

More about Karen…

I’m Karen Weeks, the CEO & Chief Shine Officer (aka transformation coach) at KDW Coaching, the host of the Shine at Work podcast, award winning culture leader (currently leading the People team at Ordergroove), a speaker an

Welcome to the Shine at Work Podcast! On this show, your co-hosts Karen and Dan will shine a light on your job search so you can land a role that lets you flex your strengths and progress your career in an environment you actually look forward to working in each day. From creating a stand-out resume, to confidently negotiating your salary, to finding your footing as a new manager, you can expect to hear actionable advice to help you shine your brightest in your role.

Karen D. Weeks is the CEO and Chief Career Coach of Shine at Work Coaching. She has over twenty years of HR experience, including as CPO at Ordergroove.

Dan Carr is a Shine at Work Career Coach with over a decade of recruiting experience helping high-growth startups expand with top talent.

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