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OPINION
When rock stars crack
T he other day, I came across a short video about something called “quiet cracking.” Wait – what now? Was that when everyone started logging off at 5 p.m.? No, that’s quiet quitting. This was quiet cracking: when a high-performing employee is on the verge of burnout, but no one sees it coming. A manager’s guide to building a culture where recovery is respected, contribution is sustainable, and being seen doesn’t require shattering.
Janki DePalma, LEED AP, CPSM
The term might be new, but the experience isn’t. I’ve cracked before. And oddly enough, I thought it was obvious. I asked my LinkedIn network what cracking looked like for them. For me, it showed up in my appearance. I remember one stretch where I felt like a beaten-down pack mule. Every day, I showed up in a free company T-shirt, hair in a ponytail, no makeup. I had so much to do, and no matter how hard I tried, it felt like everyone, from my husband to my boss, was disappointed in me. Others shared different signs: some stopped talking at meetings and became disengaged. Some had nightmares. Others couldn’t sleep. Lots of “Sunday scaries.” Cracking looks different for everyone. Most burnout articles speak to the individual, the person about to “crack.” I want to do something different. I want to speak directly to the managers in
the room. Pay attention to your rock stars, they might not be OK. They may be cracking all while smiling agreeably. You might wonder: Why don’t they just say something if they need help? Why push yourself to the point of cracking? While anyone can burn out, high performers are especially vulnerable. They tend to thrive under pressure, work independently, and push through long hours. Their output is strong, which makes it easy to assume the work was easy. But here’s the shadow side: many high performers overextend themselves as a survival strategy (that was me). Working hard, exceeding expectations, and not asking for help are often behaviors rooted in family, school, or early career environments. You become the “good kid” or the “pleasure to have in class.” High performers
See JANKI DEPALMA, page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 8, 2025, ISSUE 1612
ELEVATE THE INDUSTRY®
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