Instead of “Quiet Quitting” Focus on Your Quiet Heroes and a Culture of Quiet Excellence
I was pondering the term “quiet quitting” – the overused pandemic-induced phrase referring to how many employees, in response to shifting priorities, were doing the minimum requirements of one’s job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than necessary.
As I pondered the term (pondering by the way, is one of my favorite pastimes) I pondered what the opposite of “quiet quitting” might be?
And no, I’m not talking about your annoying colleagues who work way too loudly or need to be heard at every meeting regardless of whether they have anything of value to add.
I’m thinking of a concept that we need to recognize and celebrate more in our workplaces – the idea of “quiet excellence.”
There are so many employees in so many organizations that fly under the radar. They are the often overlooked and forgotten underdogs who show up every day and who quietly just go about doing their work, without the need to loudly broadcast everything they accomplish.
They don’t seek out public recognition.
They don’t do it for the accolades or the rewards.
They rarely, if ever, complain.
They just show up and do their jobs and never do just the minimum that’s required of them. They consistently go the extra inch. They offer to help without any expectations in return. They show up when there’s a crisis. When they see something that needs doing, they just quietly do it, even when no one is watching.
These are the “quiet heroes” that, even though they never ask for it, we need to champion and honor in our workplaces.
These are the “quiet underdogs” that are often the backbone of your organization – the behind-the-scenes cast of players that make everything else you do possible.
So, it may be a simple idea, but I think if you want to build a better workplace, a more compassionate and collaborative workplace, don’t focus on the quiet quitters.
Instead, celebrate your quiet achievers, even though they aren’t asking for it!
Celebrate the idea of quiet excellence in your workplace and you can’t help but create a more inspiring workplace culture.
Michael Kerr is a Hall of Fame Canadian Speaker who researches, writes, and speak about inspiring workplace cultures, inspiring leadership, and organizations that leverage their humor resources to drive outrageous results. Michael Kerr is also the author of 8 books, including “The Jerk Free Workplace: How You Can Take the Lead to Create a Happier, More Inspiring Workplace,” “The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses are Laughing All the Way to the Bank,” and “Hire, Inspire, And Fuel Their Fire: How to Recruit, Onboard, and Train New Employees to Live Your Culture Out Loud.”
What Michael’s clients are saying: “That was the best business presentation I’ve seen in my 40 years in business!” Rodney Meadows, Director, East Alabama Home Medical
