This article examines the much-discussed phenomenon of ‘quiet quitting’ as an expression of a work environment that has become medicalised and emotionalised. It explores the question of how, in this context, a reflective approach to emotions in management discourses has come to be regarded as a key leadership competence. Emotions no longer appear merely as states to be regulated, but as indicators and interpretative frameworks for organisational and societal transformation processes. Management practices therefore also encompass the perception and interpretation of affective distances, as well as their translation into organisational logics. From the perspective of the sociology of emotion, this gives rise to new demands on leaders that are closely linked to gender stereotypes. These gendered expectations create a dual dynamic, particularly for women in leadership positions: whilst they open up new scope for action, they simultaneously contribute to the perpetuation of existing inequalities.