Quiet Quitters and Loud Laborers : Creating Balance Between the Extremes with Awareness

Going out on a limb by quoting Lawyer John Cage from the Ally McBeal TV series, I am personally “troubled” by the recent notion of two types of work colleagues: Quiet quitters and loud laborers. Quiet quitters live in pretense, holding back feelings or ideas to avoid conflict or confrontation. Colleagues of quiet quitters are left unaware and challenged by the silence, which chips away at trust, crumbling relationships.

I am equally uneasy by loud laborers. Coined by organizational behavior professor Andre’ Spicer (2022), loud laborers do more talking than listening or working. Bragging to promote themselves and desiring self-recognition, they are less interested in collaborating and making a difference in the organization and are more interested in how they look to others.

These two monikers move me to pose the question: Where is the happy medium between quiet quitting and loud laboring? The answer is the awareness ambassador. Awareness ambassadors are driven by curiosity. They listen to learn and are powered by authenticity. Seeking to understand their colleagues’ ideas and feelings, they share their own feelings, demonstrating courage and empathy. They are aware of and are unwavering with their values when making decisions. They build trust through their actions, accepting liability when things don’t go as planned and are the reason colleagues feel valued and respected.

Awareness ambassadors are leaders but not necessarily managers, supervisors or “the boss.” You can be an awareness ambassador in your work place no matter your title. Being curious is the first step. Aim to be a bigger listener than a speaker. Know there is more to know than we think we know. Get to know the person behind the worker by asking open-ended questions. Be the reason someone loves their job. Be an awareness ambassador.

Elizabeth Dario Bockheim

A Certified Nurse Educator and Social Emotional Intelligence Coach, Elizabeth is the AwaRNess nurse and the founder of Shine Awareness Solutions, a consulting company that delivers evocative workshops to support the professional and personal success of healthcare professionals, educators, and business owners.