The rise of “quiet quitting” has captured attention across industries, fueled by viral posts and debates on whether employees should only do exactly what their job requires. On the surface, it seems harmless, even practical: meet your KPIs, fulfill your duties, and safeguard your work-life balance. But for anyone aspiring to become a manager, quiet quitting is not a strategy, but rather a setback.
But here’s the truth aspiring managers must face: quiet quitting is incompatible with leadership. If your goal is to grow professionally and one day lead others, disengagement is not an option. Managers in the making cannot afford to simply “get by.” Leadership requires initiative, accountability, and visibility, traits that quiet quitting actively resists.
Quiet quitting is not about resigning. It’s about staying in a role while emotionally checking out. Employees who practice it may still meet their KPIs, but they deliberately avoid going beyond. They won’t take on stretch assignments, propose new ideas, or volunteer for opportunities outside the job description. In short, they stop practicing what scholars call citizenship behaviors, those unspoken yet critical contributions that build culture, foster teamwork, and signal potential. For employees who are burned out or unrecognized, quiet quitting may feel like self-preservation. But for those who want to grow, the practice can become a self-imposed ceiling.
A manager’s role is not simply to complete tasks; it is to inspire, solve problems, and drive people forward. That kind of responsibility demands more than just showing up. Managers are expected to anticipate challenges and act before they escalate. They are accountable not only for their own work but also for their team’s outcomes. And they must remain visible, stepping up and modeling the kind of behavior they want others to follow. Simply put, you don’t become a manager the day you’re given the title. You become one in the small decisions you make long before. Quiet quitting robs you of those moments.
There’s no denying the importance of meeting KPIs and performing well in your role. But KPIs are not the ceiling of your growth; they are the floor. They measure your current responsibilities, not your potential. Every chance to go beyond, whether it’s leading a project, solving a complex issue, or volunteering for cross-functional work, isn’t just extra labor. It’s an investment in yourself. It’s how you discover what else you’re capable of and how much more you can take in. Quiet quitting, on the other hand, tells your future self: I’ll stop where the paper says I should stop. Managers in the making know better. They understand that growth isn’t handed over; it’s earned by leaning in, not stepping back.
Quiet quitting may protect employees from burnout in the short term, but it’s a dangerous habit for those aspiring to lead. Leadership is not about doing the bare minimum. It’s about modeling the behaviors you wish others to follow, long before anyone calls you “manager.” So if you see yourself as a future leader, treat each task as more than a requirement. Treat it as an opportunity to stretch your capabilities, sharpen your perspective, and signal your readiness. Because the managers who stand out tomorrow are the employees who step up today.
