Following the recent hype around quiet quitting, we’re seeing responses along the lines of “actions tend to evoke others’ reactions.” In other words, quiet quitters, you may have just inspired the next terrible trend—quiet firing.
But is that actually true?
Of course not. Quiet firing, like quiet quitting, has been around for years. There are just as many bad bosses as there are indifferent team members.
Let’s talk a three-step solution on both sides.
1. What’s the win?
Bosses, let’s be honest: Winning starts with you. You have to define what winning is. No matter the kind of experience your team member has somewhere else, they don’t have experience with you. You must lead the way. It starts by laying out
- What you want
- Who your ideal team member is
- What goals you’re specifically working to achieve
- What exactly you need from them daily
- How they should prioritize
Team, here’s the thing. Often, your boss has little to no true leadership training. You can avoid a ton of frustration if you help. Start with asking each one of the above questions if your boss hasn’t asked you yet. You’ll be amazed how appreciative they are. You’ll also be amazed at how delivering those drives your personal success.
2. What’s the consequence?
Bosses, let’s be honest: Defining this is as important as defining the win. When you want an accountable team, you need to show them you have an accountability plan. You’ll also need to be accountable to them and yourself in this process.
- What happens the first time a team member doesn’t live up to what you both have agreed to?
- What happens the second time?
- What happens the third time?
My two cents: share a three-strike plan in advance, with the third strike being an invitation for that team member to find a new job.
Team, here’s the thing. I get there are plenty of opportunities out there today. But as they say, the grass is always greener…where you water it. There are more unhappy former team members seeking to re-find what they once had than there are happy team members glad they moved on. So:
- What can you do to drive a win for you and your place of work?
- What can you do when things aren’t going as well as you’d like?
- What can you do to stay accountable and then ask for the same from your boss?
3. What’s the measure of success?
Bosses, let’s be honest: We get what we consistently measure. All-star team members need all-star coaches. Rather than quiet firing, the grass is always greener where you water it. Once your team knows how to win, as well as the consequences, set up the following:
- One 10-minute coaching session every week for six weeks
- Ask your team member what’s going well
- Ask your team member where they need help
- Ask how you can give that help
- Reconvene in a week and measure success
- If after six weeks it’s not a fit or nothing seems to be changing, move on openly and honestly. You both deserve it.
Team, here’s the thing. If you and your boss dive deep into being your best, quite firing and quiet quitting will no longer be anything but a TikTok fad that passes. Invest in yourself. Invest in your teammates. Invest in your boss. You’ll all win more!
