Article published in the Philadelphia Business Journal on July 31, 2023.
Some employees who are dissatisfied with their boss, compensation, working conditions or promotional opportunities may “quiet quit” on the job. This is a phenomenon that frequently appears in the news. Quiet quitting is defined by Investopedia as “doing the minimum requirements of one’s job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than absolutely necessary.” If you want to advance in your career, this mindset is a huge mistake.
Mark Cuban is a successful business leader, entrepreneur, investor and best known as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks and as one of the sharks on the TV show “Shark Tank.” In a recent interview, Cuban spoke about the value of employees who problem solve—who go beyond the scope of their job description.
Speaking about employees who only do the minimum required, Cuban said, “Don’t apply for a job with me… The one thing in life that you control is your effort, and being willing to do so is a huge competitive advantage. Most people don’t.”
I have written extensively on Cuban’s advice in my weekly Philadelphia Business Journal columns and in my book, “Be Different! The Key to Business and Career Success.” I agree with Cuban. You need to be different from your peers and go beyond your manager’s expectations by adding value, by challenging existing paradigms, and by being a change agent. Those employees who do so are more satisfied with their careers and more marketable when they search for their next position. These are the people that companies want to hire and promote.
You are fortunate if you work for a manager that values and rewards employees who go beyond expectations, who helps them to create a sense of ownership in what they do and allows them to develop and implement ideas to improve the operation of their part of the business.
What if your suggestions fall on deaf ears? In August 2018, I wrote a Philadelphia Business Journal column about a sophomore at Drexel University who was just finishing up his first six-month co-op work assignment at a company before returning to school. The co-op program is an opportunity for students to work full-time in their field to gain valuable hands-on experience. I asked him what he had learned during his co-op job and what he contributed to the organization.
He responded with the many ideas he offered to improve the organization’s business processes. Because his suggestions fell on deaf ears, he thought his experiences at this company would not help build his resume, which is one of the most important things anyone can do regardless of where one is in their career.
I told him that to the contrary, his focus on continuous improvement is exactly what might make his resume stand out from the dozens submitted for a job opening and get him an interview. A mindset to continuously improve, among other factors, is a differentiator for any job candidate.
I told him to highlight his focus on continuous improvement on his resume and in his job search interviews. His mindset will differentiate him from other applicants for the positions to which he is applying. Few if any of the other applicants will display that mindset in their resume or interview.
To those who are quietly quitting, remember Mark Cuban’s comments. Don’t do it. If you see no opportunity for your situation to change within your company—quit and work elsewhere. It’s better to do so rather than remain in a position where you are only going through the motions. Quiet quitting will hurt your chances to develop and advance in your career.
Stan Silverman is founder of Silverman Leadership and author of “Be Different! The Key to Business and Career Success.” He is also a speaker, advisor and widely read nationally syndicated columnist on leadership. He can be reached at stan@silvermanleadership.com.
