Personal finance expert Dave Ramsey laid it all out in a recent episode of the "EntreLeadership" podcast when a listener asked how to deal with an employee who's "checked out." Tanya from California said one of her team members still does the basics but has lost energy, creativity, and ownership. Ramsey's response was straightforward: doing the bare minimum doesn't cut it.
Quiet Quitting Is A Cultural Problem
"It's a requirement here at Ramsey that we don't have anybody working at J.O.B. Doing the bare minimum to get your pay is not acceptable," Ramsey said. "You don't get to stay. You have to be engaged." He explained that at his company, being "self-employed" in attitude is one of their core values. Employees are expected to care deeply about their work, their team, and the people affected by what they do.
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Ramsey argued that what many call "quiet quitting" is a serious cultural issue. "Everyone else knows it, too," he said. "And when you sanction this, you're inviting more of it." During the height of the quiet quitting trend, Ramsey told his team, "We will have quiet firings to go with your quiet quitting. If your spirit leaves the building, you should take your body with it or I'll help you."
He said this isn't about nitpicking, but about protecting standards. "No one wins the Super Bowl mailing it in or quiet quitting," he added. "It's a big deal and it's contagious as crud. It'll run through your organization if you don't stamp it out."
Difficult Conversations Are Part Of Leadership
Ramsey said leaders must address disengagement directly. "At Ramsey, we call it a difficult conversation," he explained. "No one's getting fired today, but we have some things we need to work on. It appears you've checked out and aren't giving your best—tell me about that." He advised leaders to listen first, understand the reason behind the behavior, and then decide whether it can be fixed.
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Sometimes, disengagement comes from personal issues, like family problems or burnout. In those cases, Ramsey said leaders should show grace but still expect effort. "We give you a little grace while you get through some personal stuff," he said. "But meantime, you've got to smile and bring your best anyway."
Ramsey recalled a moment from years ago when he noticed an employee yawning and rolling her eyes during a staff meeting. When her manager confronted her, she admitted she hated working there. Ramsey said that proved the importance of being proactive. "It is my obligation to be proactive with someone that has checked out and find out why," he said. "And is this fixable? And can we get you checked back in or do we need to do a permanent checkout?"
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You Get What You Tolerate
Ramsey warned that tolerating quiet quitting affects everyone. "No one wants to work with people that are mailing it in, that are half-butt doing their work," he said. "When leadership steps in and goes, ‘Hey, they're not here anymore,' the team says, ‘Thank God. I'm a thoroughbred and I don't have to work with a donkey.'"
His message to Tanya was simple: confronting disengaged employees is part of the job. "Your job as a leader is to manage and create culture," he said. "And when you're managing and creating culture, you are going to get what you tolerate."
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