Elena here. I’m a big fan of leadership expert, author and researcher Adam Grant. His newsletter is one of the few emails I prioritize and read. In his last correspondence, he mentioned an article that has been getting quite a bit of buzz: The Only Thing New about Quiet Quitting Is the Name by Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press. For those of you that aren’t familiar with the term “quiet quitting” I found a handful of definitions, all variations on a theme:

According to Yessi Bello Perez, Editor at LinkedIn News “quiet quitting” is about rejecting the notion that work has to take over one’s life and that employees should go above and beyond what their job descriptions entail.

Metro says that quiet quitting can take many forms – including turning down projects based on interest, refusing to answer work messages outside of working hours or simply feeling less invested in the role.

My favorite definition was shared by NPR: Quiet quitting doesn’t actually involve quitting. Instead, it has been deemed a response to hustle culture and burnout; employees are “quitting” going above and beyond and declining to do tasks they are not being paid for.

In the words of Gina Linetti from my favorite sitcom of all time Brooklyn 99, “Oh dang.”

Dang is right, Gina.

Here’s what Adam had to say about quiet quitting: When they don’t feel cared about, people eventually stop caring. If you want them to go the extra mile, start with meaningful work, respect, and generous pay.

I disagree with one point that Adam made above; with where to start. At LUMO, we believe that relationships are the foundation of results. Inside of strong relationships, anything becomes possible. This isn’t a generational issue, as so many people are quick to jump to – this is a relationship issue. You want better results? Start with building stronger relationships.

Here are a few leadership tips for bridging the divide:

Curiosity – curiosity holds the keys to the kingdom. Let go of what you “know” and lean into curiosity.

Look for greatness in others – not just deficits.

Look for common ground – in what ways are we alike?

Generosity of spirit – are you making generous assumptions about others? Do you give others the benefit of the doubt?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Email me here to get the conversation started.