They’re not leaving. They’re quietly disengaging. And no one’s catching it in time.
The cost of unhappy careerists?
A staggering $8.9 trillion to the global economy each year.
That’s so much more than a productivity problem. It’s a culture crisis… big enough to bankrupt.
➜ Only 23% of professionals feel engaged at work — which means 77% are not.
➜ Just 31% are satisfied with the company culture they inhabit every day.
➜ And 85% experienced burnout or exhaustion last year alone.
That’s not sustainable. For anyone.
But it is solvable.
Particularly for those who can see it happening.
Who feel the energy shift. The quiet step-back from your once-vocal, most energised talent.
They’re your:
➜ high-potential people
➜ rising people-first leaders
➜ quietly ambitious change-makers
I call them leaders-in-waiting.
They care. They deliver. They lead – before the title.
But they’re also waiting…
…to be noticed.
…to be valued.
…to move up to the next level.
And too often – they don’t get it in time.
Or they do – without the support they need to flourish.
So they flounder. And fade. Then leave.
Or worse – they stay… switched off, depleted, and dripping negativity that’s contagious.
What you can do as a leader.
This isn’t about perks, surface-level recognition, or another round of ‘engagement initiatives.’
It’s about investing in your people – especially your leaders-in-waiting – with meaningful development, coaching, and space to grow into their potential.
Because when you foster a culture of purpose, loyalty, and momentum, the payoff isn’t just retention.
It’s better leadership at every level, less burnout, and more resilience through inevitable uncertainty.
Here’s a story about when the ‘big step up’ feels like someone stopped time
Zoe was the first senior hire into a brand new team. A big, exciting move. Elevated title. Scope for growth.
The kind of step up most people spend years preparing for. And yet… a leader-in-waiting. Literally.
No team to lead… yet. No scope of work. No allies. Or clarity about when that might change.
Just time passing. Far. Too. Slowly.
And only so many corridor conversations you can have before wondering…
- What you’re actually contributing.
- And who is noticing… you’re not!
Left wanting to prove her worth, with no way how. She told leadership she had capacity. Wanted to contribute while things got off the ground.
They appreciated it. And handed her… the work no one else wanted.
Zoe came to coaching soon after. What stood out wasn’t the obvious frustration. It was the unwavering commitment to her career context despite how alone she felt in it.
And every week feeling like a slow death (her words).
She’d taken the leap. And landed in a kind of professional no-man’s-land.
We made space for that. And then, after exploring… she made her moves.
She initiated a grounded, courageous conversation with leadership.
Thanked them for trying. Then told the truth:
It wasn’t working.
She hadn’t come in to stay busy. She came in to grow. To lead. To stretch herself into the kind of top contributor she knew she could be.
And she started using the stillness – strategically.
Finding ways to be seeded in neighbouring teams. Negotiating capacity to be on loan alongside roles aligned with her goals and scopes of work that counted as evidencing progress.
Demonstrating inner leadership anyway. Gaining traction – visibly, and with intention.
Not pretending everything was fine. But choosing to curate something meaningful in the meantime.
And most importantly?
Not letting the gap between now and next erode her confidence.
She’s not stuck anymore. She’s striving and growth-ready. And she knows exactly where she’s headed.
Because being brought in early to lead a team that isn’t there yet, shouldn’t mean being left behind.
Wish you knew…
- Why emerging leaders are overlooked?
- What they actually need to feel stimulated and grow?
- How investing in them fosters a culture of purpose, loyalty, and momentum that lasts?
I speak on all things leadership elevation and evolution, with a side of positive psychology and narrative therapy.
If you run leadership programmes, wellness events, or conferences – or a team – and wish your best people wanted to stay – let’s talk.
When you really look closely, what’s your biggest challenge with leaders-in-waiting right now?