There's been lots of talk lately about the phenomenon of "quiet quitting," or doing just the requirements of your job and nothing more. A recent Gallup survey found that at least half of US employees could qualify as "quiet quitters," and feelings of disengagement at work have increased among those younger than 35. As the debate rages on, some employees have even suggested new names for the trend, including "corporate coasting," "DYJ: Doing Your Job" and "reverse hustle."
Get managers on board with new goals by clearly laying them out, asking for feedback without becoming defensive, taking their ideas into consideration and asking them which objectives their team can help accomplish, writes Chris McChesney, global practice leader of execution for FranklinCovey. "To get the commitment of your managers who don't see eye to eye with you, you will need to trade being 'persuasive' for being 'transparent,' 'understanding' and 'involving,' " McChesney writes.
Creating clear departmental, team and personal goals that align with a company's mission is critical to keeping everyone working to fulfill the overarching mission, writes Joel Trammell. "Teams of rudderless employees who don't understand where the company is going or what they are trying to achieve have trouble engaging in their work, collaborating effectively across teams, and making informed decisions quickly," Trammell writes.
Most organizations' diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are focused on hiring from a diverse cross-section of cultures and ensuring employees are compensated fairly, but many companies expect all employees to conform to the same narrow norms, which can be unwelcoming instead of promoting inclusion, writes Sarah Townsend, a professor at the University of Southern California's School of Business. People do not perform to the top of their skill level and don't usually stay at a company long if they don't feel welcomed, included and valued for their unique contributions, Townsend writes.
Launch House, the incubator housed in a Beverly Hills mansion, provides a key lesson in failed community building, writes Rebecca Jennings. "Sometimes, community is what happens when a great deal of eager young people come together and realize the people who brought them there have no idea how to build a community at all," Jennings writes.
The tech industry can become more diverse if children, especially girls, are encouraged to pursue their tech interests and companies and schools recruit a more diverse workforce, writes Genia Wilbourn, senior vice president of Verizon Business Group's business customer operations. "Instilling these values and raising a new generation of tech-savvy youth -- regardless of race, gender or demographics -- [needs] to start as early as possible to be truly successful," Wilbourn writes.
On Sept. 14, 1972, "The Waltons" made its debut on CBS. The family drama was set during the Great Depression and World War II, and although it was popular with many viewers who grew up during those years, it still finds newer fans today. "The Waltons" was also ahead of its time in discussing subjects such as religion and faith, according to Syracuse University professor Robert Thompson. The Rev. Matt Curry, a Kentucky pastor and longtime fan of the show, appreciates how it conveyed "the sense of community, of unity, of battling through hard times" -- a message that resonates 50 years later.
