Author: Scott McKain
In other words, workers burned out by the “hustle culture” so recently prevalent have decided to either quit their jobs — or perhaps even more damaging to businesses — disengage themselves from where they are working. In a brilliant article in a recent edition of the Wall St. Journal, Lindsay Ellis and Angela Yang reveal that what we’ve […]
In other words, workers burned out by the “hustle culture” so recently prevalent have decided to either quit their jobs — or perhaps even more damaging to businesses — disengage themselves from where they are working.
In a brilliant article in a recent edition of the Wall St. Journal, Lindsay Ellis and Angela Yang reveal that what we’ve been calling the Great Resignation could lead to something else entirely. It is, they suggest, “Quiet Quitting.”
As the article in the Journal states, ” It isn’t about getting off the company payroll, these employees say. In fact, the idea is to stay on it—but focus your time on the things you do outside of the office.” The article continues, “Across generations, U.S. employee engagement is falling, according to survey data from Gallup, but Gen Z and younger millennials, born in 1989 and after, reported the lowest engagement of all during the first quarter at 31%.”
With employee engagement rates at an all-time low, businesses need to find a way to address this problem, or they’ll face even more turnover and disengagement in the coming years.
I’ve written about my issues with the “hustle culture” many times. In my opinion, this pushy, “bro” approach in leadership and sales has only made money for the hustlers trying to sell you a program or training on how to do it their way. It does not work for the customers of their programs who turn off their prospects with their pseudo-domineering approach or prospective employees who do not desire to work for a tyrant.
It’s not possible to hustle all the time without burning out. And when you burn out, you either have to take a break or leave altogether. This recalibration of the work/life balance is part of what we see with the Great Resignation — people are leaving their jobs because they can’t handle the hustle anymore. They need a break, but often times they don’t know how to take one without feeling like they’re giving up.
If you’re a business owner, it’s time to look at your culture and see if hustle is really what you want to encourage. If not, it is time to make some changes.
Something many missed in my work about creating distinction is this: you cannot attain distinction by demand. Hustlers cannot legitimately claim, “I am distinctive!” Your customers and community determine that level of marketplace uniqueness. Not you.
All hustle does is create a lot of noise that drowns out the signal of what actually makes you distinctive. It is the antithesis of sustainable marketing, and it will, eventually, lead to the Quiet Quitting we’re seeing today.
What do you think? Have you been affected by hustle culture? Let Scott McKain know. Want to discover a sustainable way to create distinction — and distinctive engagement with your team? Let me know.
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
Odds are good that you’re doing 10 SMALL THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T SWEAT AT WORK things to proactively manage how you present yourself at work: writing concise emails, speaking up in meetings, and trying not to make your sentences sound like questions. But when you’re in the first phases of your career, sometimes understanding office etiquette […]
Defining great brand values: Five practical pointers A surprising number of brands have values that are about as useful as a chocolate fireguard. Seriously. They do. Unfortunately, this only becomes apparent when brands try to bring their values to life via the experiences they want to build. Things grind to a halt because their brand […]
Did you hear the fascinating story of The Profitability of Integrity about the French mountaineer who found a box of precious gems and decided to do something most wouldn’t do? Read on! ~ Can you make money from your Integrity? I stand firm in the belief that people do business with those they TRUST, can […]
One evening in December 1994 a life-threatening situation with a friend of mine was getting her washing off the passenger seat of her car when the door opened, a man put a knife to her throat and said, “Move over or I’ll kill you.” She moved over into the passenger seat, and even helped him […]
Veteran business writer Theodore Kinney interviews Dane Jensen and shares his takeaways from The Power of leading under Pressure for strategy+business. Pressure is a goad. Whether it arrives in the guise of a burning platform or a project deadline, a strategic goal or a performance target, a high-stakes deal or an aggressive competitor, pressure can […]
Howard Saunders, a leading retail keynote speaker was wrong. FORGET COVID. THIS IS THE KILLER VIRUS. I thought that the crescendo of hysteria that’s been festering like a planet sized boil in the wake of Trump and Brexit would dissipate once a serious crisis came along. It’s like we’d been massaging a giant zit with […]
This expedition was the first in a series of five Beyond Engulfing Magnificence Expeditions with Jacques Marais. The idea was to mountain bike the edge of the incredible Namib Desert from Serra Cafema on the Angolan border to Swakopmund along the coast of Namibia. I’m on the edge of a gigantic granite outcrop. Ep.2/9 | Engulfing […]
If you’re struggling to Become A Better Presenter, or are new to the field, here are some ideas that I’ve incorporated in my 28 years as a keynote speaker/presenter. Feel free to check them out and see if any can help you along the way! 1) Know your audience better than they know themselves […]
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME
