Not All Leaders Wear the Same Hat:

Silver didn’t storm out with a dramatic speech. No laptop slam. No fiery email. Just a one-liner:

“Good evening. I’ve resigned. Effective 31st August, 2025.”

That was it.

If you’re an employer, this probably triggered a cold sweat. Recruitment is expensive. Following an international study by Gallup, they estimate the cost of replacing an employee can run up to two times their annual salary. If you’re an employee, maybe you’ve been Silver — blindsided by a role that promised structure but delivered chaos.

So, what really happened here? And more importantly, what can both sides learn?

The Role That Wasn’t What It Said on the Label

Silver joined a Company that had recently expanded into new branches and launched a service line that was still more “idea” than “system.” On paper, her role looked neat and defined. In practice, it was anything but.

Instead of a clear roadmap, she found herself thrown into random tasks that required innovation and risk-taking — qualities that didn’t match her natural strengths.

According to the GiANT personality test, Silver was a Guardian-Nurturer: someone who values systems, structure, and people care. Similar to the ISFJ in the MBTI framework, Guardians thrive in environments with stability and clarity. They are brilliant at ensuring things run smoothly — but constant change without clear support can feel like walking on shifting sand.

So how did a process-oriented, people-centric professional end up in a role that demanded constant improvisation?

Good question.

“But I Asked If She Was Okay”

During her appraisal, Silver admitted she was overwhelmed. She felt unsupported. But her supervisor recalled, “I always ask if everything is okay — and she said it was fine.”

Here’s the catch:

1. Psychologists like Amy Edmondson (Harvard Business School) have shown that employees rarely voice struggles if the culture doesn’t feel safe for honesty.

2. Personality matters: someone reserved, conflict-averse, or fearful of rocking the boat is even less likely to say, “I’m drowning here.”

3. Supervisors misread silence as reassurance — when it can actually be resignation (pun intended).

The result? An avoidable exit.

Where Did Things Go Wrong?

1. Role Design: The job was advertised as structured, but in reality, it demanded adaptability and innovation.

2. Personality Fit: Silver’s traits were partly aligned, but not for a role that kept shifting.

3. Support Systems: “Checking in” with a yes/no question isn’t the same as creating a space where employees feel safe to say, “I’m not okay.”

As leadership experts Hersey & Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory reminds us: effective leadership is about adapting style to the needs of the person. People are not “one size fits all.”

Lessons for Employers

1. Hire for today and tomorrow: If the role is fluid, say so. You’ll attract candidates who thrive in ambiguity instead of scaring away steady performers later.

2. Use personality and culture assessments wisely: Not as tick-boxes, but as tools to align roles with natural strengths.

3. Build psychological safety: Move beyond, “You good?” and foster a culture where saying “I need help” is seen as strength, not weakness.

Lessons for Employees

1. Clarify expectations upfront: Don’t just ask about job tasks; ask how the role evolves over time.

2. Know your wiring: Tools like GiANT or MBTI aren’t perfect, but they can give insight into whether a role’s demands will energize you or drain you.

3. Find your voice: Even in tough cultures, it’s better to express misalignment early than silently endure until burnout.

The Real Takeaway

Silver’s resignation wasn’t just about her. It’s about the gap that often exists between job description and job reality, personality and role demands, leadership intent and employee experience.

For employers, it’s a reminder that recruitment isn’t about filling a seat — it’s about matching humans to roles where they can thrive.
For employees, it’s reassurance that struggling in the wrong seat doesn’t mean you’re broken — it might just mean the chair was built for someone else.

Over to You

At Everybit Business we help businesses design roles that fit people — and help people find roles that fit them. That’s how you build workplaces where performance, wellbeing, and retention go hand in hand.

Employers, ready to rethink how you design roles and retain talent? Book a consultation at Everybit Business.
And if you’d like to dive deeper, here are some resources that have helped me:

1. Book: Amy Edmondson’s - The Fearless Organization (on psychological safety).

2. Book: The Leader's Checklist by Michael Useem (Wharton) for real-world lessons on adaptive leadership.

Because at the end of the day — no two people are the same, and no two roles should be treated as if they are.