Top performer is no longer performing

[Anonymous]

He has another job and is mailing it in on this job.

[Anonymous]

I'm a top performer who is starting to just do my actual job (aka quiet quitting for top performers). In my case, my long time manager has left; I would have told him if I were frustrated etc. With my new manager, I don't have the trust relationship to be honest even though I've known him for a while. I show up to meetings, say the things I'm supposed to say, and don't do anything that isn't strictly my job. I've already had 5 job interviews this week.

A top performer who was last promoted 2 years ago and has no line-of-sight to his next promotion is not going to stay.

[Anonymous]

This sounds like me. My 87 year old Dad is declining; lives alone and refuses to move. I go from work to his condo every night. My teen son is struggling with school and mental health issues and my DH was diagnosed a month ago with cancer. My supervisor, of 10+ years, said he noticed a decline in my performance and asked “if I was trying to get fired”. I did not go into details but did say I was struggling with family issues and was told “that is not the firm’s problem”. It could be quiet quitting but it could be overwhelm with other issues.

[Anonymous]

I'm him.
I'm bored, tired of the BS and see no immediate upward trajectory. I have zero incentive to work any harder, and I know I'm not going to get fired because my book of business covers me and you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You really never heard of quiet quitting? He gone, dawg.

Yes, but he still shows up to meetings and our 1:1s with big ideas and goals. So he can’t be totally gone. We’ve worked together for awhile and I hope he would respect me enough to tell me he’s looking.

I have no idea what this means. Employees look out for their own careers and it's not personal. He doesn't owe his manager some kind of heads up that he's looking for a new job, which will only stifle his internal opportunities. You need some concrete incentives and conversations, OP. This loyalty stuff sounds like a toxic workplace.

[Anonymous]

He’s in a dead-end and you want to know why he’s not excited about his work?

The energy is going to his job search. If you can’t promote him, start figuring out if you can give him some performance based pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You really never heard of quiet quitting? He gone, dawg.

Yes, but he still shows up to meetings and our 1:1s with big ideas and goals. So he can’t be totally gone. We’ve worked together for awhile and I hope he would respect me enough to tell me he’s looking.

I don’t know a single person who shares that they are interviewing with their boss. Why would you think that’s the norm?

He sounds burned out to me.

[Anonymous]

I'm him. Leadership is sending mixed messages and putting me in the middle of their squabbles. It's stressful constantly walking on eggshells and I don't feel supported by my supervisor or anyone else. I'm having a lot of trouble focusing. Also some personal stressors that I don't feel comfortable sharing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You really never heard of quiet quitting? He gone, dawg.

Yes, but he still shows up to meetings and our 1:1s with big ideas and goals. So he can’t be totally gone. We’ve worked together for awhile and I hope he would respect me enough to tell me he’s looking.

So he’s after you and your job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My always-reliable direct report is starting to lose some credibility: forgetting to include me in review processes, not responding to requests in a timely manner, etc. and it’s making me look bad in the eyes of our CEO.

How do you bring a top performer back? He was promoted 2 years ago. He’s not able to be promoted again since he’s at the top of his job level (senior manager). He has to apply for the next level up (director) and can’t do that until the job is available, which probably won’t be until next year.

Better start documenting all of this in reviews and in emails to him/others.

Saboteurs are playing the long game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My always-reliable direct report is starting to lose some credibility: forgetting to include me in review processes, not responding to requests in a timely manner, etc. and it’s making me look bad in the eyes of our CEO.

How do you bring a top performer back? He was promoted 2 years ago. He’s not able to be promoted again since he’s at the top of his job level (senior manager). He has to apply for the next level up (director) and can’t do that until the job is available, which probably won’t be until next year.

Back to People Mgmt 101:
Clear projects, deadlines, scope, format
Over communicate and always in email or email follow up
Real time feedback - verbal and email
Do so with a smile.

Do the above and he’ll back off and shape up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe he is just bored. Give him an interesting special project.

This could be true as well.

Btw no one wants to work on a filler project or dead end thing.
Is there enough work to be done in your group? Clear processes? Clear decision making processes too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My always-reliable direct report is starting to lose some credibility: forgetting to include me in review processes, not responding to requests in a timely manner, etc. and it’s making me look bad in the eyes of our CEO.

How do you bring a top performer back? He was promoted 2 years ago. He’s not able to be promoted again since he’s at the top of his job level (senior manager). He has to apply for the next level up (director) and can’t do that until the job is available, which probably won’t be until next year.

Have you talked to him?

+1 he probably has something going on in his personal life and may just need some support temporarily. Sometimes the question is what can you do as a manager for your team and not just what can they do to make you look good.

Yes block and tackle this one as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You really never heard of quiet quitting? He gone, dawg.

Yes, but he still shows up to meetings and our 1:1s with big ideas and goals. So he can’t be totally gone. We’ve worked together for awhile and I hope he would respect me enough to tell me he’s looking.

I have no idea what this means. Employees look out for their own careers and it's not personal. He doesn't owe his manager some kind of heads up that he's looking for a new job, which will only stifle his internal opportunities. You need some concrete incentives and conversations, OP. This loyalty stuff sounds like a toxic workplace.

+1

Companies look out for themselves when they want to cut expenses and layoff employees. Why are employees expected to be any different?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm him.
I'm bored, tired of the BS and see no immediate upward trajectory. I have zero incentive to work any harder, and I know I'm not going to get fired because my book of business covers me and you

'
This is me too. You can't just expect your Senior Managers to wait around until the directors retire to move up. You and your peers had opportunities for upward mobility; create those for the next level or understand that they're just going to march in place.