Quiet Ambition: Are we ready for a future without leaders?

“When leadership, a cornerstone of organizations, is under threat, it’s time to reconsider our work models” (Luciana Rovegno, human development consultant).

How far does our relationship with work extend?

A seemingly simple question that has been reshaping career trends and the future of work. In the recent past, answers to this question seemed obvious and natural. However, a phenomenon accelerated by the pandemic has been altering our relationship with work. Currently, we no longer accept excessively long working hours, lives centered around work, and the “always on” policy. Increasingly, we are drawing a clear line between work and our personal lives. A recent survey by Visier, a People Analytics company, indicated that new generations are shifting their work-related priorities, with work-related ambitions not even ranking in their top three. The survey revealed that people’s primary ambitions are to spend more time with family and friends (67%), maintain physical and mental health (64%), and travel (58%). The survey also highlighted other priorities such as starting a family (22%), starting a business (15%), and engaging in volunteer work (20%).

This movement towards greater well-being, quality of life, and flexibility gained momentum after the pandemic, with an increase in anxiety and depression and the growing popularity of remote work. It has been dubbed “quiet quitting,” a phenomenon where individuals, instead of resigning outright, reduce their productivity, participation, and engagement in the company, doing the bare minimum on a day-to-day basis without additional effort. This is also related to the “great resignation”, where people recognized their dissatisfaction with work and began seeking a better quality of life.

Why does this matter?

This shift impacts people’s motivation and how companies must prepare and address such issues since 63% of respondents in the Visier survey stated they care about doing a good job but won’t compromise their work-life balance. Moreover, individuals are redirecting their ambitions towards personal life rather than seeking advancement on the corporate ladder, trading fancy titles for free time, as corroborated by a Rethinkly survey, a technology company, which found that 39% of Britons would prioritize well-being over a higher salary or career progression.

The current work system may be under threat, and this movement has the potential to become a trend. Evidence of this is the recent emergence of a new companion to quiet quitting and the great resignation, a phenomenon called “quiet ambition”. This new concept, first introduced in April 2023 in a Fortune article, represents a shift in mindset regarding traditional work norms, diminishing the emphasis on hierarchical climbing and profession as the primary pillar of individual priority, which used to be a measure of success. It reflects a lack of ambition for upward mobility at work, prioritizing mental health, free time, and spending time with family and friends over being stressed by work and leadership responsibilities. This movement is led by Millennials and Generation Z, who have different expectations regarding work compared to previous generations, including people management, redefining the meaning of professional success. Under this new perspective, life is no longer confined to work, potentially threatening the corporate career as we know it, which is based on promotions as a constant incentive. Therefore, it becomes increasingly critical for companies to adapt and adopt more flexible approaches focused on the well-being of their employees, which can be a real challenge. After all, the common mindset in the business environment is that if you’re a motivated professional, you will want to climb the organizational ladder.

Is leadership at risk?

Surveys have shown that only 38% of respondents are interested in taking on management positions, while 12% claim that nothing would convince them to become managers. Reasons for this decision are related, among other factors, to the expectation of increased stress and pressure with the new role (40%), projection of longer working hours (39%), lack of interest in leadership responsibilities (37%), administrative aspects of management roles (20%), experiences with bad managers (15%), and lack of confidence in their ability to lead a team (17%).

Organizations face a potential succession problem as fewer people are interested in leadership positions, making it more challenging to plan for people development and fill critical positions, potentially creating a leadership gap. It’s unlikely, however, that quiet ambition will lead to a future without leaders. Still, the corporate world is beginning to realize that the challenges posed by this phenomenon could, in fact, lead to a future with a different type of leadership, requiring greater adaptation from companies regarding the evolution of work models and people development programs.

There is also a career risk for professionals embracing quiet ambition, as by not nurturing the pursuit of better opportunities for personal and professional growth, learning, and challenges, they may create a short-term illusion of comfort that could turn into a long-term trap, resulting in stagnation and missing significant opportunities. This can lead to a cycle of routine and unconstructive tasks, gradually diminishing enthusiasm for work, reflecting in performance, and limiting professional growth, making them less competitive in the job market, and ultimately jeopardizing long-term prospects and the ability to sustain their priorities. Therefore, the pursuit of quality of life, flexibility, and free time is crucial, but professionals must recognize the potential risks of lacking ambition at work and reflect on the possible impacts on their personal and professional lives. From another perspective, the quiet ambition phenomenon opens up possibilities for those who still aspire to leadership roles. There may be a shortage of professionals ready and willing to take on these positions, providing an opportunity for those continuing to aspire to career advancement to enhance their skills and fill this gap.

Some companies that usually attract young talents for leadership roles are already feeling the effects of quiet ambition. For instance, Google promotes internally the “Quiet Leaders” program, identifying and developing individuals with “quiet leadership.” The initiative is aimed at employees recognized for their work ethic, dedication, and leadership skills but who do not identify with self-promotion movements and power struggles. Meta implements “The Quiet Power of Ambition”, aiming to promote quiet ambition within the company. The program, applicable to employees at all levels, recognizes that individuals with silent ambition can be a positive force in the organization.

What about the companies?

Considering that companies already face a talent shortage for management positions, it is necessary to reassess their strategies to prepare their future leaders and maintain a structured succession plan. This may involve a deep understanding of the reasons for leadership rejection, helping them align internal policies with what would genuinely motivate these professionals to develop and take on leadership roles. Recent research has indicated that the main factors motivating professionals to become leaders are better salaries (71%) and better benefits (45%). However, elements like greater career advancement opportunities (26%), increased flexibility and autonomy (20%), and less task-oriented activities (12%) also appeared on the list. Moreover, over half of the respondents (55%) stated they seek a work environment allowing a better balance between work and personal life, and 24% look for companies where they can leave work on time. Topics such as inclusion and diversity, leadership training and more horizontal management also emerged as relevant. Companies must be attentive to encouraging the climb to leadership positions, especially for Generation Z and women, who identified a lack of confidence in managing people and a lack of leadership training as their main barriers to leadership interest, respectively. Companies must also be willing to adapt and meet certain expectations of individuals, whether related to traditional managerial roles or by reorganizing career paths to facilitate individual growth.

Therefore, companies that are unsure how to address this phenomenon need to redefine their leadership expectations, value individual skills and contributions to team projects more than hierarchical ascent as the ultimate “prize.” Quiet ambition can be a positive force in leadership, strengthening companies that have chosen more cooperative cultures and making them more competitive.

References

CNN. Quiet quitting: o que é esta tendência e o que significa para empresas. CNN. Available at: < https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/economia/quiet-quitting/>. Acessed: 12/19/2023.

COELHO, S. Quiet ambition: o desinteresse pelo trabalho da geração Z que ameaça o futuro das empresas. Startse. Available at: https://www.startse.com/artigos/quiet-ambition-o-desinteresse-pelo-trabalho-da-geracao-z/>. Acessed: 12/19/2023.

COSTA, L. Quiet ambition: o desinteresse em virar chefe — e como o RH deve lidar com isso. VOCÊRH. Available at: <https://vocerh.abril.com.br/lideranca/quiet-ambition-o-desinteresse-em-virar-chefe-e-como-o-rh-deve-lidar-com-isso/>. Acessed: 12/19/2023.

ROBINSON, B. “Quiet Ambition”: a tendência que ameaça a sucessão nas empresas. FORBES. Available at: < https://forbes.com.br/carreira/2023/10/quiet-ambition-a-tendencia-que-ameaca-a-sucessao-nas-empresas/>. Acessed: 12/19/2023.

RONCATI, J. Quiet ambition: será que o futuro terá menos líderes? TERRA. Available at: < https://www.terra.com.br/economia/quiet-ambition-sera-que-o-futuro-tera-menos-lideres,545ea8829e980d2f8b12a3a76dabc461dglvwthf.html>. Acessed: 12/19/2023.

VISIER. A Looming Succession Problem: New Research Shows Individual Contributors Shun Management in Favor of Free Time. Visier — Culture. Available at: <https://www.visier.com/blog/new-research-individual-contributors-shun-management/>. Acessed: 12/19/2023.

ZANETTA, C. Quiet Ambition: reconfigurando prioridades e repensando a sucessão empresarial. EXAME. Available at: <https://exame.com/bussola/quiet-ambition-reconfigurando-prioridades-e-repensando-a-sucessao-empresarial/>. Acessed: 12/19/2023.