You know that employee who used to be your go-to person? The one who'd volunteer for projects, stay late when needed, and bring energy to team meetings? Yeah, they're still showing up. They're still doing their job. But something's different. The spark is gone. They're doing exactly what's required and not one thing more. Welcome to the world of quiet quitting, and if you haven't noticed it on your team yet, you're either incredibly lucky or not paying close enough attention.

Difficult conversations are…well…difficult. There's no sugarcoating it. Whether you're addressing performance issues, navigating conflict between team members, or confronting your own manager about a concern, these conversations trigger every self-preservation instinct we have. Our palms sweat. Our hearts race. We mentally rehearse what we'll say at 2 AM, crafting the perfect words we'll probably forget the moment we sit down.