I’m exhausted. I am so tired of listening to leaders who do nothing more than talk about change. It needs to happen, they say. We need to do better. We need better communication. Let’s hire better people. We will make time for our teams. We promise a salary increase is coming. Then, after six interviews as a final candidate, you are ghosted and never told that you weren’t the right ‘fit.’

I’m tired. Is it any wonder that staff working for corporate America companies want to leave and find a small business employing less than one hundred people? Is it a surprise that the workforce doesn’t want to waste their time working for an employer that doesn’t care about them? Would you be surprised to learn that smaller companies care about their staff because they figure out how to find time for them? I’m so tired!

It’s on both sides of the wage scale. Leaders say staff need to communicate better. Staff say leaders need to lead better. No one is listening. Everyone is being ignored. Leaders fail their people, unwilling to hear them because they want more money, benefits, and time off. Likewise, those earning minimum wage fail leadership because they feel unwanted, unappreciated, and uncared for. No one communicates. No one leads. It’s exhausting.

When is what I want to ask. When will you stop talking about how your teams aren’t taking initiative and leading? When will you, Chief Executive Officer, stand up for those below you and give them a raise that’s more than a few cents? And you, minimum wage earner, instead of discussing how your leaders are failing you, when will you step up and stop wasting company time, resources, and effort? When will you, Executive Director, stand up for your team when your leader is micromanaging you and your team? When will the time come to stand up and do the right thing?

When will you stop talking? When will you start doing it?

Because I’m seriously exhausted.