Business leader David Rocker has identified what he calls a "confidence crisis" affecting workers and entrepreneurs, pointing to declining engagement metrics and limited access to mentorship as systemic challenges requiring immediate attention. According to a 2023 Gallup report cited by Rocker, employee engagement has dropped for two consecutive years, with fewer than 33% of U.S. workers feeling connected at their workplaces. For new entrepreneurs, the situation appears equally strained, with over 40% reporting they lack access to mentors, advisors, or necessary resources.
The implications of this crisis extend beyond individual frustration to impact organizational stability and economic vitality. Rocker, drawing from over 30 years of experience in corporate finance and strategic consulting, argues that rigid or unresponsive systems leave individuals to solve problems alone. "When something breaks, we're expected to fix it ourselves," he notes, emphasizing that this isolation exacerbates the challenges faced by small business owners, team leaders, and innovators operating with limited support.
Rocker's perspective is informed by both success and failure, including lessons from the dot-com bust where he assisted a startup that ultimately did not survive. This experience solidified his belief that leadership involves preparing for change rather than pretending predictability exists. He advocates for replacing grand gestures with practical structure, stating, "You can hand someone a check. But if no one walks them through the hard calls—hiring, systems, strategy—it won't last."
To address these issues, Rocker emphasizes the irreplaceable value of in-person interaction, one-on-one coaching, and shared problem-solving. He contrasts this with the limitations of digital resources like PDFs or webinars, recalling that "some of the best lessons I ever got happened after meetings. Quick chats. Honest feedback. That stuff sticks." His approach aligns with his background in systems engineering from Georgia Tech, where he learned to apply process thinking to complex challenges.
For immediate action, Rocker proposes ten specific steps individuals can take within a week. These include listing three unclear processes and fixing one, blocking 30 minutes for reflection, asking for 15 minutes of advice from someone more experienced, and offering help to someone newer. He also recommends reviewing cash flow or schedules to identify bottlenecks, writing down recurring mistakes to implement small changes, scheduling an in-person meeting, removing low-value tasks, dedicating time to mental rest, and expressing gratitude to past coaches.
The broader importance of this message lies in its potential to reshape how support systems function across industries. By encouraging mentorship, feedback loops, and intentional slowing down, Rocker aims to foster environments where people are not "tossed into the deep end and told to swim." He concludes by urging readers to choose one action, commit to it for seven days, and share his insights with others, asserting that "we build better systems—one person at a time, one step at a time."
For more information on David Rocker's work, visit https://www.nysacapital.com and https://www.therockergroup.com.
