Finding Hustle in the Quiet Quitting Era

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High-energy, can-do attitudes and effort can still be found if you know where to look

Is hustle dead? Finding workers with energetic, can-do attitudes is getting harder. Gallup says more than half of U.S. workers are “Quiet Quitting,” meaning they’ve taken on an attitude of no extra effort or weekend crunch sessions to deliver a project. 

Millions are watching TikTok videos in which younger workers defend their decisions to do the minimum requirements at work and no more under the banner of quiet quitting. Supporting comments cascade down and include: 

‘Above and Beyond’ is wage theft

I didn’t write the contract defining hours and responsibilities, they did.

I call it, The Great Relaxation

Coasting at work is nothing new, and experts say younger workers will get generally more ambitious as they work longer and want to achieve more, just as past generations have.  However, broader attitudes are changing in ways that researchers say is surprising.  People are feeling less connected to their organizations for one.  Also, work is just less important to many workers post pandemic.

Manager Work Engagement Declines

Perhaps most ominous is that managers, the people who are relied on as the primary motivators within organizations, are also disconnecting. Gallup said only a third of  managers describe themselves as emotionally or psychologically engaged at work.  This reflects one of the largest drops among all classes of employees. It’s also believed that managers who check out have a deleterious cascading effect on their direct reports.

Where to Find the Hustlers

Employers understand burnout is prevalent and there is increased emphasis on work-life balance. They say hustle isn’t defined by long hours but more of an attitude that includes positivity, resourcefulness, persistence and action.

During the interview process, recruiters and hiring managers say they are listening intently for tell-tale signs of hustle such as those who helped put themselves through college by working or have self-taught themselves several skills. Questions about struggles are no longer throw aways like, “Tell me about a time you overcame a challenge?” Attitudes about challenges and finding if potential employees truly have grit are central to interviews.

Contracting with Hustlers

Many companies, particularly growth-stage companies and startups, would rather simply contract with hustlers.  TechCXO, which has been providing on-demand executives and teams as interim and fractional support since 2003, says it has helped thousands of companies due as much to the experience of its partners and associates as their attitudes.  The qualities of hustle TechCXO says is inherent in its people include:

1. Enjoyment of Work – TechCXO partners are required to have demonstrated expertise within companies as C-level executives. This means they have a track record of success and are in demand from multiple organizations.  Many have been part of significant liquidity events and typically have resources. They choose to consult and lead projects because they enjoy the work and interaction with companies.

2. Entrepreneur’s Bias for Action – TechCXO partners have been CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CTOs, CMOs, and CHROs at companies of many sizes, including large enterprises. The firm’s client base tends to skew toward smaller companies in growth mode. The entrepreneurial energy of lean, fast-moving companies plays to partners’ own entrepreneurism and a bias toward action and tangible results.

3. Thicker Skin – Because TechCXO partners are generally older due to their C-level experience, the small slights, conflicts and grievances that may derail younger workers are quickly overcome and brushed aside by more experienced executives and managers who feel these things “come with the territory.”

4. Time to Value – The nature of interim, contract and fractional work requires tangible results to be generated quickly. Many of TechCXO’s clients are operating with venture or private equity capital so an emphasis on small learning curves and producing value in a condensed period of time is essential. 

Managing the Whole Person

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How an Increase in Empathetic Leadership May Have Staying Power

What workplace changes will stick once the pandemic subsides? Maria Goldsholl, TechCXO’s Managing Partner – Human Capital, identifies three HR and leadership trends that will have staying power.

This article originally appeared on CirrusMD and their series on top trends in human resources

In a year when Zoom fatigue became a real thing, and millions of bosses and employees personally experienced any number of emotional and psychological challenges due to quarantines, stress and isolation, trends have emerged that may redefine workplace interactions for the better.

No one went untouched in 2020, and when all experience some pain and loss – including the boss — empathy can grow, particularly for leaders. Suddenly, stubborn, long-held biases held by some managers, such as “working remotely is just a way to sleep in and avoid work,” instantly vanish. When a manager is struggling with their own kids being out of school and stuck at home for months, they may be ready to extend more grace to single parents.

The pandemic has been a test of true leadership for many and a new perspective on viewing the whole person. Leaders have asked themselves, “How can we support people through this pandemic?” and “What really matters (and what is just corporate nonsense and busy work)”?

What emerges will be stronger, more holistic leadership with an eye toward prioritizing employee wellness, not just to reduce health insurance premiums, but to care for the whole person.

Here are three positive trends that may take hold.

New Respect for Wellness

It’s not a mistake that in the realm of “Health & Wellness” programs, Wellness is listed second. It may be an even more distant consideration than that. This year changed just how real mental and psychological wellness are for people. Physical health has always had quantifiable costs and benefits attached to it, including productivity, healthcare costs and culture. Now employers can more clearly connect how health and wellness have evolved with how contributors like sleep, exercise, and burnout all play a role in our overall mental health. What was otherwise considered a stigma to discuss has now become a mainstream part of the employee conversation.

Look for employers to offer their employees more through their wellness plans to diagnose things like sleep issues, and to lean more heavily into practical applications such as wearables that can monitor mental health.

Project Management, Prioritization & Efficiency get a boost

Almost all research suggests that people worked more, not less, this past year with the surge in remote working. Early on in the pandemic, frequent one-on-one check-ins were popular. However, as people tired of these tactics (Zoom fatigue) as overkill, they lobbied directly to supervisors to cut out endless forms and tedious meetings. With other things tugging at them, such as caring for children or parents, there was little time to waste on bureaucracy. Drawn out presentations became crisper. Online meetings got shorter and priorities became more pointed. Project management applications got a boost and soul-crushing, email-centric management got jettisoned.

More goals and objectives were turned into sprints with tidy deliverables and success criteria.

Performance Management Overtakes Performance Reviews and Evaluations

We’ve long lobbied for more of a performance management culture versus the overuse of quarterly and annual performance reviews.

Performance management calls for ongoing communication, a focus on clear actions, behaviors and results, and linking work to larger strategic objectives. In the year of more empathetic leadership, many company leaders reported that they are easing up on the dreaded end-of-year performance review. For example, Google skipped mid-year appraisals while the number of promotions doubled.

Shorter, more frequent check-ins actually made supervisors better informed as to how people were progressing. Managers were grateful too as some said getting rid of mid-year reviews saved them 20 hours or more.

We can all hope that leaders retain some of these trends, and that they no longer draw a hard line between a person’s work life and their personal life but rather view them as a whole person.

The Art of Being Scrappy

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People often equate the word “scrappy” with a startup or a lean organization. Larger organizations, on the other hand, are labeled as bureaucratic, slow and process-oriented. There’s rarely an association with scrappy. But a scrappy mindset has its advantages, and for larger companies, that means achieving the agility of a startup.

Startups are viewed as scrappy because they often don’t have the luxury of name recognition, power and money that larger institutions enjoy. Stripped of an ability to rely on capital and traditional infrastructure, startup employees are creative, resourceful, and can quickly learn new skills and adapt. In the absence of opulence, they often move forward with pure grit, passion and determination. It allows them to solve problems in ways that others can’t.

The scrappiness factor can make or break a company. In my role as an advisor, interim and/or on-demand chief people officer, I always interview for this.

So how can a larger organization benefit from this mindset? It’s actually easier than you might expect.

1. The freedom to make mistakes is worth more than formal training.

Irish author James Joyce famously wrote, “His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” The most significant accelerated learning path a person can take is by making mistakes. Most companies often invest thousands of dollars in training, mentorship and other tools to help employees grow in their roles, yet they create an environment where mistakes are not celebrated.

The freedom to make mistakes, course correct, and continue is one of the primary benefits of working in a startup. Faced with limited financial resources, startup employees are forced to wear many hats, regardless of whether or not they have experience or comfort with a role. This sink-or-swim mentality is scrappy. It creates grit, confidence and resourcefulness, but also encourages an environment where mistakes are not only inevitable but expected and sometimes even celebrated for the learning they bring.

An organization I served as CPO has a values statement that was written by our employees. It states, “We are a group of highly talented people who love the challenge of our work and strive to solve problems others consider impossible. We approach this work fearlessly, knowing that if we fail, we’ll learn and do better next time.” For larger organizations, this means taking a fresh look at the definition of “training and development.”

2. Trading latent assets is invaluable.

New economies are built upon resource constraints. The sharing economy, whose poster children are companies like Airbnb and Lyft, speaks to a solution that stems from a need to do something, like take a vacation or get somewhere fast. The solutions, innovative and new, tap into latent assets with the help of technology.

The bonds that come from networking with people and trading expertise is invaluable. You learn to rely on each other and use every skill that each of you has to work as a team. I have seen instances where one offers legal advice in exchange for helping to recruit for a growing business. Most will happily share their expertise in the form of brain power and connections in exchange for even a glass of wine or some lunch.

Larger organizations could benefit from going back to this more resourceful, community-minded method of doing business, whether it’s across departments or across borders.

3. To be scrappy means to skip the formality.

Ideally, an organization’s philosophy emphasizes personal responsibility over policy, freedoms, and learning through risk taking.

In order to be able to do that, opt for regular feedback loops rather than a formal review process. Feedback loops provide weekly, immediate feedback to help employees take risks and course correct in a fast and efficient way. Business moves too quickly to wait for annual reviews; with instant feedback, the opportunity to learn is still fresh. Too much policy and process impede scrappiness.

Additionally, if companies over-prescribe a formula for success ahead of time, employees will not trust in their ability to experiment and achieve. They won’t reach their highest potential for themselves or for the business. Large organizations should consider completely throwing out their time-intensive performance review process and opt for a scrappy, fast-paced feedback method where speed and authenticity reigns.

You don’t have to be a startup to be scrappy. Interviewing for scrappiness and creating an environment that values it could make any company – large or small – more creative, nimble and ultimately profitable.

Maria Goldsholl TechCXO

Maria Goldsholl TechCXO Human Capital Practice (click her photo to see Maria’s full bio)

 

How to Build a Tech Culture that Makes People Want to Stay

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One of the first things to suffer when things take off, is culture. Rapid hiring that ignores cultural norms can introduce new attitudes and expectations. Some good, some bad, the worst of which can deteriorate trust and breed a culture of fear — and fast. So how can you start to repair a tech culture?

One of the most effective ways to build efficiencies in a technical team is to focus on culture. It’s said that culture trumps strategy. Why? Because the execution of any strategy by a dysfunctional team, will be poor.

Some of the signs of cultural problems within a technology organization are:

  • Poor communication between development teams
  • Lack of visibility to the business
  • Ability to avoid accountability
  • Avoidance of meaningful conflict
  • The ridicule of ideas

If you’ve spent any time at all working within a technology team, you’ve seen several of these problems.

So, let’s get started. Below are three things I do to get things moving.

Prove that Conflict and Vulnerability are Acceptable

People often avoid conflict because their leadership taught them to. It’s that simple.

Many situations occur where someone disagrees with leadership and they are dismissed. Worse, they could face ridicule in front of their peers. The effects of this type of behavior are fast acting and long lasting. In such a culture, the best ideas often die before they’re ever explored.

Many years ago I was co-writing a song with a very talented writer who said to me, “Give me any ideas you have an I’ll give you mine. Some are going to be awful, but you never know what other ideas an awful one will spark.” It was a little uncomfortable at first, but I soon recognized my ideas weren’t getting an eye-roll. That motivated me to dig deeper. We agreed, we disagreed. There was meaningful conflict. We were kind to each other, but didn’t hesitate to disagree.

It was an impactful experience that I carried into other areas of my life.

[For More Posts like this, see Kevin Carlson’s blog: The Fractional CTO]

And that’s exactly how to approach it in the tech world. Prove that conflict is acceptable by welcoming new ideas. Avoid any response that could make a person regret their decision to be open.

More important, the team should see you do this with other leaders. Show that you’re not afraid to be vulnerable and introduce conflict. Above all, show your team how to do that while being kind.

Praise Those Who Take Accountability, Whether for Success or Failure.

One of the best signs of an improving culture is the admission of failure. In a recent client engagement, a team member sent me an email telling me of a problem they caused. It cost the company customers and money.

Here’s what I did next:

  1. Immediately thanked the person for bringing the issue to my attention
  2. Asked for their recommendation on how to solve the problem
  3. Requested they quantify the impact to the company and share the detail with me

This person knew they made a mistake. There was obvious regret. But they had the courage to step forward and make things right. No need to make them feel any worse.

It’s important in this situation to express gratitude that you’re now aware of the issue. Learn what went wrong. Hear recommendations from the person that brought it to your attention. You will get the best from your team if they can be honest with you without fear of retribution.

Quick story: A CEO and CFO were talking about a new salesperson. The CFO was angry that the rep messed up a $2 million dollar deal and recommended he fire the salesperson. The CEO responded, “Why would we fire someone we spent $2 million training?”

Be Open in Your Interactions with Everyone

A few years ago, I had been coaching a 25 person development team on the importance of building trust. I wanted people to admit when they didn’t know how to do something. I wanted them to be open when they made a mistake.

Then it happened.

I had been upgrading a Jira instance and something went wrong. Long story short, every single bit of data had been completely wiped from the system. Not realizing that had happened, I decided to head home and get back at it the next day.

The next morning everyone was frantic. Luckily, one of my colleagues saved me from embarrassment and restored Jira from a backup. Things were up and running again. All was good with the world, right?

Not at all. I needed to prove to the team that everyone, including and especially me, needed to be open. At a team meeting that afternoon, I opened with, “We found out who deleted the data from Jira.” A nervous silence enveloped the room as people looked around and tried to guess who was in trouble.

“It was me”, I said. “I made a mistake during an upgrade and I apologize if it caused anyone any trouble.”

The team was gracious and accepted my apology.

From that point on, people new that it was OK to be honest. That they could trust I wouldn’t hold myself to a different standard than I expected from them. Communication almost immediately began to improve.

You must be the example you want your team to follow. Asking people to be accountable, yet avoiding it yourself is only going to build cynicism in the team.

If you’re in a position of leadership, prove that you will hold yourself accountable. And prove that the standard isn’t any different for you than it is for your team.

It’s an Ongoing Process

You can have significant impact and begin to repair a tech culture by taking these straightforward actions. But it doesn’t stop there.

As a leader, you are the guardian of the culture you want to have. You will have to make occasional adjustments to process, technology, and, yes, people.

Sometimes they will be painful decisions. But make them anyway and learn as you go.

And when you’re wrong, tell the team, adjust, and keep moving. I promise you, it will be worth it.

[This post originally appeared on TheFractionalCTO.blog]